Overwatch: Duck Bao

Millions in cash and confidential company information missing after a notorious crime duo continued what some are calling a “Grand Theft Shopping Spree.” Mako Rutledge and Jamison Fawkes, more commonly known by their monikers Roadhog and Junkrat, went on an illegal shopping spree this weekend as they broke into Lucheng Interstellar’s office in the heart of one of China’s busiest metropolises. Police don’t yet know the full extent of information stolen and damage caused to the surrounding area, but witnesses report an extraordinary array of explosions and carnage in the area. One witness described the event as “a fireworks display” and originally thought the brilliantly shining cacophony was planned by the city to celebrate the New Year. Although there have been no reported casualties, the duo did not leave the scene without rampaging through the local food stalls near the base of the tower where criminal investigators are still tallying the amount of food and delicacies missing. We’ll have more when we receive an update in the coming days.

This past weekend marks the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Overwatch joined in on the celebration with a new limited-time event called Year of the Rooster. Many characters got new skins, emotes, and many other goodies. I really like a lot of these new unlocks and I’m hoping I’ll get lucky and manage to get all the skins I want.

Roadhogs new highlight intro is just delightful. He is surrounded by empty plates and a handful of dumplings. This got me inspired to whip up some Overwatch themed bao. In the night market of Lijiang Tower there are several food stalls with pictures of delicious treats with Chinese writing on them. Luckily, my cousin has studied Chinese for several years now and was able to translate these for me. One of the proteins listed is a roasted duck and I knew immediately what kind of bao I would be making.

These duck filled bao take several days to prepare. Getting the skin extremely crispy requires a few days of preparation. The duck needs to sit uncovered in the refrigerator for a few days to achieve the dryness needed. This honestly isn’t a difficult recipe, but it does require time to rest before you can actually start cooking. With that said, let’s get cooking!

Ingredients:
2 star anise, ground
4 cloves, ground
1 tsp ground cinnamon
8 peppercorn, ground
1 tsp salt
1 whole garlic, cut in half
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup hoisin

¼ cup honey
3 tbsp soy sauce
Additional salt

3 scallions, sliced
bao dough, recipe here

Take the duck and clean up any extra fat around the cavities (neck and bottom). Take a bamboo stick and make quite a few stabs on the skin.

Place the duck, breast side up, on a mesh strainer over a sink. Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil. Pour half of the water onto the duck. Flip the duck and pour the rest of the water on it. This will help tighten the skin.

In a bowl, combine the star anise, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorn, salt, and hoisin. Rub the inside of the duck with this sauce. Add the cinnamon stick and garlic into the cavity.

Seal the bottom of the duck with a bamboo stick.

In a bowl combine the honey and soy sauce. Microwave for 30 seconds. Brush all of the duck with this sauce. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Brush again. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Brush one last time, salt the duck, and place in the refrigerator.

Let the duck rest, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. This will dry the skin of the duck which is important for getting that crispy skin.

To cook the duck, preheat an oven to 325°F. Place the duck on a baking sheet with a wired rack. You want the duck to be lifted off the pan because the fat from the duck will be rendering out as it cooks.

Bake for two and a half hours. Remove the duck and let it cool. Place the sliced scallions in a bowl. Carefully remove the skin of the duck and place it on a cutting board.

Take the rest of the meat from the duck and shred it into the bowl. Slice the duck skin and place in the bowl. Toss everything together; this is the filling for the bao.

Place water in a pot with a steamer basket and let it come to a boil. While the water is warming up, it is time to make the bao. Take your dough and split them into small portion of about 50 grams each.

Take the cut portions and roll it out into a circle, but do not make it too thin. Add a small portion of the duck filling. Take one of the ends of the dough and pinch it with the opposite side. Pinch the other two end together into the center.

Pinch the other two flat edges upwards. You should have something that looks similar to the left picture. Next, take two of the corners and pinch them towards the center.

Take the other corners and pinch in the same way. After it has all been pinched together twist the bunched group to seal the bao completely shut.

Place a small piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the bao and then place it in the steam basket. Place 4-6 bao in the basket and then let it steam for 12-15 minutes.

Print Recipe

Duck Bao

Ingredients

• 2 star anise ground
• 4 cloves ground
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 8 peppercorn ground
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 whole garlic cut in half
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¼ cup hoisin
• ¼ cup honey
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• additional salt
• 3 scallions sliced
• bao dough

Instructions

• Take the duck and clean up any extra fat around the cavities (neck and bottom). Take a bamboo stick and make quite a few stabs on the skin.
• Place the duck, breast side up, on a mesh strainer over a sink. Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil. Pour half of the water onto the duck. Flip the duck and pour the rest of the water on it. This will help tighten the skin.
• In a bowl, combine the star anise, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorn, salt, and hoisin. Rub the inside of the duck with this sauce. Add the cinnamon stick and garlic into the cavity.
• Seal the bottom of the duck with a bamboo stick.
• In a bowl combine the honey and soy sauce. Microwave for 30 seconds. Brush all of the duck with this sauce. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Brush again. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Brush one last time, salt the duck, and place in the refrigerator.
• Let the duck rest, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. This will dry the skin of the duck which is important for getting that crispy skin.
• To cook the duck, preheat an oven to 325°Place the duck on a baking sheet with a wired rack. You want the duck to be lifted off the pan because the fat from the duck will be rendering out as it cooks.
• Bake for two and a half hours. Remove the duck and let it cool. Place the sliced scallions in a bowl. Carefully remove the skin of the duck and place it on a cutting board.
• Take the rest of the meat from the duck and shred it into the bowl. Slice the duck skin and place in the bowl. Toss everything together; this is the filling for the bao.
• Place water in a pot with a steamer basket and let it come to a boil. While the water is warming up, it is time to make the bao. Take your dough and split them into small portion of about 50 grams each.
• Take the cut portions and roll it out into a circle, but do not make it too thin. Add a small portion of the duck filling. Take one of the ends of the dough and pinch it with the opposite side. Pinch the other two end together into the center.
• Pinch the other two flat edges upwards. You should have something that looks similar to the left picture. Next, take two of the corners and pinch them towards the center.
• Take the other corners and pinch in the same way. After it has all been pinched together twist the bunched group to seal the bao completely shut.
• Place a small piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the bao and then place it in the steam basket. Place 4-6 bao in the basket and then let it steam for 12-15 minutes.