Instructions: Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C/375 degrees F/gas mark 5. Pull all the lumps of fat out of the duck taking care to cut out the one in the neck.

Put the kettle on to boil.

Mix the soy sauce five spice powder ginger syrup salt pepper and garlic in a small bowl.

Put the duck in the sink prick it all over with a fork then pour the boiling water over it.

The skin will tighten and some of the fat will pour out.

Sit the duck in a roasting tin and slosh it all over with half the spice mixture.

Roast the duck for lhr 20 mins (20 minutes per 500g) basting with the remaining spice mixture halfway through the cooking time.

Ten minutes before the bird is due to be ready turn up the heat to 220 degrees C/425 degrees F/gas mark 7. This will help to crisp the skin.

Remove the duck from the pan drain off the fat to leave the deeply savoury sauce underneath. Serve the duck either in slices or from the middle of the table so you can hack at it with the pan sauce.

The duck should be wry slightly pink the skin dry and deeply savoury. The best accompaniments are pak choi or broccoli cooked quite plainly or if the mood takes you some lettuce leaves for wrapping the bits of duck as you tear them from the carcass.

Serves 2

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