- 1 x 2kg/4lb 8oz duck, back bone removed, flattened
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
- 500g/1lb 2oz plums, stones removed, roughly chopped
- 125ml/4fl oz rice wine vinegar
- 75g/2½oz caster sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 225g/8oz strong white flour
- 175ml/6fl oz boiling water
- 4 spring onions, finely shredded
- 1 cucumber, cut into batons
- For the five-spice duck, preheat the oven to 210C/410F/Gas 6.
- Place the duck, skin-side up, on a rack over a roasting tray and pierce the skin all over with a knife.
- Boil a kettle and pour the just boiled water over the duck skin. Discarding the water and pat the duck dry using kitchen paper. Rub salt, freshly ground black pepper and five-spice all over the skin.
- Roast for 1-1¼ hours, or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Shred the duck into fine pieces using two forks.
- Meanwhile, for the plum sauce, heat the olive oil in lidded pan and fry the spring onions for 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the spices and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the plums, vinegar and sugar and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, cover with a lid and simmer for 5-6 minutes, or until the plums are tender. Set aside to cool.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and blend the mixture to a purée in a food processor. Strain the purée through a sieve into a bowl. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- For the pancakes, place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the boiling water and stir to form a dough. Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 2-3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
- Cut the dough into 16 pieces and roll each piece into a thin pancake.
- Heat a frying pan until hot and fry each pancake for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until pale golden-brown. Keep the pancakes warm until ready to serve.
- To serve, place the shredded duck on a large serving plate and place the spring onion and cucumber alongside. Place the pancakes on a separate serving plate and serve with the plum sauce.