Kow Lak Ar - Braised Duck with Chestnut Stuffing

(Chinese - Teochew : my grandmother, Mdm Tan Sai Lang's recipe)

Kow Lak Ar (Braised duck with chestnut stuffing) is an obscure Teochew recipe that is nearly forgotten now, though it was a popular Teochew restaurant dish in the 1940s and 1950s in Singapore.  My grandmother had learnt this recipe from grandpa, who had in turn learnt it from a good friend working in a Teochew restaurant.  This is a dish of my childhood as it is often served on festive days.  I recall tearing slices of meat from the duck and eating with the soft mushy chestnut in its lovely braised sauce.

Interestingly, this dish has many strong similarities to French poultry recipes, though with a very different flavour.

Sprinkle  salt and �  tsp of 5-spice powder on the skin and cavity of the duck.  Have the duck drip dry if you can for about � hour.  To flavour the duck, immerse the duck for a minute in hot oil to lightly brown its skin before braising. 

While the duck is drying, work on the stuffing.  Heat oil in high heat over a wok or frying pan.  Fry the shallots in hot oil till fragrant then add in the whole mushroom, carrot and chestnut.  Add a sprinkle of dark soya sauce to taste and � tsp of the 5-spice powder.  Fry this only for a few quick minutes on high heat, enough to flavour your stuffing.  Do not overcook as the stuffing will be cooking further in the duck.

When the duck is dried and marinated, use a toothpick to seal up the hole where the neck had been cut.  Stuff your chestnut mixture into the duck through the rear cavity and seal with more toothpicks or poultry lacer.  If you have extra stuffing, add it into the pot with the duck later.

Having prepared that, we proceed to �pah loh�, or �beat the braised sauce�, which is a technique commonly used in Teochew households to prepare beautiful braised meat.  Use a wok big enough to contain your duck. If you do not have a large wok, you may also use a pot with a thick base big enough for the duck.  Heat up the wok, then add in 2tbsp of dark soya sauce, 1 tbsp of sugar and 4 cups of water.  Allow it to boil.  When the mixture is boiling, place the duck gently into the wok.  The sauce may not cover the duck so do ladle the sauce over the duck.  Allow the duck to braise in medium - low heat, turning the duck every half hour.  Check the sauce constantly to ensure that it does not dry up. Add more water if necessary. Ensure there is some lovely braised sauce left in the wok as that goes beautifully with rice.  Cover the wok with its cover as you braise. Cook it for 1 � - 2 hours till the meat is soft as the perfect braised duck with chestnut has a luscious quality that melts in your mouth.  Add more sugar or black soya sauce to taste if required.

When you are ready to serve, cut the duck and you will be greeted by the hearty aromas of the chestnut stuffings.  Scoop it out and place it on the side of the plate with the duck. 

Enjoy the duck with rice and a Teochew chilli-garlic vinegar dipping, �sng nee chou�.

www.singaporefoodhistory.com / Copyright 2005 Ai Ling Sim-Devadas