Ah, it’s Summer time again! Sun, beach, and beer time has come; and nothing excites me more than beer-infused, Asian recipes! First, I love duck, although it is a bit fatty, and can’t wait to start making this tasty dish back home for my family. A friend of mine in Zhuhai suggested it while she was home for a holiday. So, this new recipe of Chinese deliciousness is based loosely on her Guangxi family recipe – so here it goes without further delay!

Stuff to Prep:
a duck, preferably fresh and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
a spoonful of Dou Ban Jiang (chinese bean sauce).
two cubes of Nan Ru (red fermented toufu).
a few spoonfuls of oyster sauce (any brand will do).
600mL bottle of beer (or two cans).
Garlic chunks and Ginger slices.
Black pepper balls (about 10), 1 Anise seed (star-shaped) (enhances flavor)
Chestnuts (optional, but awesome). Salt.
a wok or small pot.

1~ Fill pot 3/4 with water and boil. Meanwhile, clean the duck chunks and leave in a prep bowl. (You’ll boil the duck chunks soon)

2~ Prepare the bean paste sauce in a small dish. Mix together a big spoonful of Dou Ban Jiang, 1or 2 cubes of Nan Ru, and a few spoonfuls of oyster sauce.

3~ When the water boils, put all the duck chunks in and let it pre-cook. Some “pao pao” will cook out and collect on the surface. After a few minutes, take out the chunks and rinse in a strainer. Drain the water from your wok or small pot.

4~ Turn the fire on again and toss the duck pieces in dry. The duck still has oil inside, so you can let it cook out for a couple minutes. Stir with a spatula so that nothing sticks too much.

5~ Take the bean paste and scoop the contents into the wok. Mix with spatula.

6~ It’s crack-open-your-brew time! Pour in your beer. You’ve poured in enough beer if your duck pieces are completely floating. Spoon beer into your bean paste bowl in order to rinse out all of the paste into the pot. (None goes to waste!)

7~ Toss in additional flavorings: garlic chunks, ginger slices, 10 black pepper balls and 1 anise seeds. Stir occasionally.

8~ Leave the lid off of your pan or wok. Let the beer cook the duck and steam away. After about 10-15 minutes the liquid should become a little thick and rich.

There you have it! Awesome beer duck from the same region that is home to a Longevity Cluster,  a town with freakish amounts of people over 100 years old…