Peking Duck Rolls

Preparation time: 35 minutes + 10 minutes resting
Total cooking time: 5 minutes

Makes 24

Difficulty: Medium

1 cup (125g/4oz) plain flour
½ teaspoon sesame oil
½ large Chinese roast duck
6 spring onions, cut into 24 pieces 6cm long
1 Lebanese cucumber, seeded and cut into 6cm x 5mm batons
2-3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
24 chives, blanched

1. Sift the flour into a small bowl, make a well in the centre, and pour in the sesame oil and ½ cup (125ml/4 fl oz) boiling water. Combine well until the mixture becomes a slightly sticky soft dough. If needed, add a few teaspoonss more of boiling water at a time if the mixture is still a bit dry. Knead the dough on a floured work surface for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. Cover and rest for about 10 minutes.

2. Shred the duck meat with your fingers and cut the skin into strips.

3. Roll the dough into a sausage shape and divide into 24 pieces, then roll each piece to an 8-9cm round with a rolling pin on a lightly floured board. Once they are rolled out, lay them out in a single layer and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel while you are rolling out the others to prevent them from drying out.

4. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and dry-fry them in batches for about 20 seconds each side. Do not overcook, or they will be too crispy for rolling. The pancakes shold have slight brown speckles on them. Stack each pancake on a plate, and keep warm. If they cool down too much, reheat them by placing on a plate, covering with plastic wrap and microwaving for 20-30 seconds on High, or wrapping them in foil and backing in a warm (170°C/325°F/Gas 3) oven until warmed through.

5. Arrange a piece of spring onion, some cucumber strips, duck flesh and skin on each pancake. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon hoisin sauce and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Roll the pancake up firmly and tie with a blanched chive strip to hold it in place. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per roll

Protein 4g; Fat 5g; Carbohydrate 6g; Dietary Fibre 0.5g; Cholesterol 20mg; 330kJ (80kcal)

Note:
You can make the pancakes 2-3 days ahead of time and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap until ready to serve. To reheat, put them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and microwave them for 20-30 seconds on high, or wrap them in foil and place in a warm (170°C/325°F/Gas 3) oven until warmed through.

Prawn Toast

Preparation time: 20 mins
Total cooking time: 15 minutes

Makes 36

Difficulty: Easy

350g (11oz) raw medium prawns
1 clove garlic
75g (2½oz) canned water chestnuts, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
2cm x 2cm piece of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
2 eggs, separated
¼ teaspoon white pepper
12 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 cup (155g/5oz) sesame seeds
Oil, for deep frying

Dipping sauce

½ cup (125ml/4 fl oz) tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1. To make the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Peel the prawns and gently pull out the dark vein from each prawn back, starting at the head end. Put the prawns in a food processor with the garlic, water chestnuts, coriander, ginger, egg whites, pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt, and process for 20-30 seconds, until smooth.

3. Brush the top of each slice of bread with lightly beaten egg yolk, then spread evenly with the prawn mixture. Sprinkly generously with sesame seeds. Cut each slice of bread into three even strips.

4. Fill a large heavy-based saucepan or deep-fryer one-third full of oil and heat to 180°C (350°F), or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. Deep-fry the toasts in small batches for 10-15 seconds, or until golden and crisp. Start with the prawn mixture facing down, then turn halfway through. Remove the toasts from the oil with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on crumpled paper towels. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Nutrition per prawn toast

Protein 3g; Fat 6.5g; Carbohydrate 5.5g; Dietary Fibre 1g; Cholesterol 19mg; 383kJ (92kcal)