Crispy duck, charred plum and fresh chilli

MARINATE THE DUCK

Pat the duck breasts thoroughly dry. Score the skin in a shallow diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat.

Combine the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, Chinese five spice and black pepper. Coat the flesh side of the duck in the marinade, keeping the skin as dry as possible.

Cover and refrigerate for 2–4 hours. Remove from the fridge approximately 30 minutes before cooking.

MAKE THE PICKLED CUCUMBER

Combine the rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Add the finely sliced cucumber and toss well. Leave to pickle for at least 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

MAKE THE CHARRED PLUM SALSA

Place the plum quarters directly onto the hot Kadai grill. Cook for 1–2 minutes per side, until lightly charred but still holding their shape.

Remove and allow to cool slightly before roughly chopping. Combine with the chilli, spring onion, coriander, lime juice, rice wine vinegar and salt.

Mix gently and set aside.

BUILD THE FIRE

Establish a good bed of hot coals and position the Kadai Hot Plate or grill over the fire.

COOK THE DUCK

Place the duck breasts skin-side down onto the hot surface. Cook for approximately 6–8 minutes, allowing the fat to render slowly and the skin to become deeply golden and crisp.

Avoid moving the duck unnecessarily. If the skin is catching too quickly, move it slightly further from the hottest part of the fire.

Once the skin is deeply browned and crisp, turn the duck and cook the flesh side for 2–4 minutes, depending on thickness. The duck should remain pink in the centre.

Remove and rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.

WARM THE TORTILLAS

Warm the corn tortillas briefly over the Kadai grill, turning once, until soft, pliable and lightly charred.

ASSEMBLE

Place a warm tortilla on a board and add slices of the rested duck, making sure to include plenty of the crispy skin.

Top with:

Charred plum salsa
Pickled cucumber
Fresh coriander

Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime.

SERVE

Serve immediately while the duck is still warm and the tortillas are soft. For a sharing-style presentation, pile the duck, salsa and pickled cucumber onto a large board alongside a stack of warm tortillas and let everyone build their own tacos.

RECIPE NOTES

Keep the skin free of the wet marinade. The soy and honey mixture is fantastic for the flesh, but putting it on the skin will make it much harder to achieve that crisp, rendered finish.

There is no need for a heavy sauce here. The rich duck, sweet charred plum, acidic cucumber and lime already give the tacos plenty of balance, while the sesame and coriander finish everything without overpowering the other flavours.