Some people argue that it’s not KFC’s secret blend of 11 herbs and spices that makes their fried chicken so successful, but rather the cooking technique. Deep-frying the chickens in a pressure cooker saved on oil and time in the 1930s, making the crispy bone-in chicken a feasible option for fast-food chains. Until this new gizmo became popular, the fast-food industry was almost exclusively made up of quick-serve burgers and fries.
But more than half a century before the Colonel started pushing his fried chicken to hungry travelers along U.S. Route 35, China had already recognized the merits of pressure frying. Ducks are endowed with a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, which not only keeps them warm while swimming but also makes them more buoyant – and, of course, undeniably delicious. The high temperature reached in pressure frying pushes the fat out of the duck, rendering it less greasy and also expelling water from the skin to ensure the crispiest outside layer possible.
This cooking technique, known as explosive roasting (爆烤, bàokǎo), first became popular in Beijing during the Qing Dynasty, around 1866, but reached its peak in 1894, when it was served at Empress Dowager Cixi’s 60th birthday feast. Li Lianying, the head eunuch (and later suspected imperial murderer), was tasked with finding Beijing’s most famous dishes for the party and added the duck to the menu, where it was so admired that it was given a royal name: Wan’s Exploding Roasted Palace Duck (万字爆烤皇宫鸭, wànzì bàokǎo huánggōng yā). Being included on the royal dining registry meant that the dish was forbidden to be served outside the imperial dining room, and the shop outside the palace was forced to close to the plebes.
Luckily, times have changed, as the queue outside Palace Duck in Shanghai’s former French Concession makes clear. Despite the dish’s royal history, the stand is only an oil-smudged window next to a malatang shop, and all the ducks are taken to go. When you receive your order in a paper container and plastic bag, the fryer will warn you to leave the bag open so the duck can breathe – otherwise the steam will wilt the crispy skin before you make it home.
Palace Duck only has one pressure fryer, which can only hold eight ducks at a time. Considering that the whole birds take nearly half an hour each to cook, it’s no surprise that you have to line up for the pleasure of tasting it. Hand-chopped to order on a thick stump of a cutting board, the duck is sold by the half or whole and will only run you 18.80 RMB per 500 grams (斤, jīn). Unlike at many other roast duck restaurants, the pressure-fried version here is served sans condiments. That’s because the family’s secret recipe requires the ducks to be marinated for ten hours in a mixture of over 40 herbs and spices, infusing the meat with more than enough delicious flavors long before it sputters in the pressure fryer.
The next time you have a dinner party, grab a whole duck to go, and you’ll reap royal praise the Colonel could only dream of.
November 9, 2017 Cha’s
Hong Kong native and Cha’s owner Charlie Lau became a restaurateur because of a […] Posted in Shanghai
February 19, 2015 Guang Ming Cun
On one of Shanghai’s busiest shopping streets, amidst the glittering Tiffany & Co, […] Posted in Shanghai
July 11, 2017 A Da Cong You Bing
In September of last year, Shanghai eaters were shocked when Mr. Wu shuttered A Da Cong […] Posted in Shanghai
Published on May 05, 2014
Related stories
November 9, 2017
ShanghaiHong Kong native and Cha’s owner Charlie Lau became a restaurateur because of a hankering. A movie producer by day, Lau came to Shanghai with Ang Lee to film Lust/Caution, and was disappointed that Shanghai lacked a proper Hong Kongese cha canting, a casual all-day eatery that serves traditional Cantonese food alongside milk teas and…
February 19, 2015
ShanghaiOn one of Shanghai’s busiest shopping streets, amidst the glittering Tiffany & Co, Piaget and Apple stores, Guang Ming Cun is housed in a nondescript four-story building. Glass displays in front offer a glimpse of the braised and dried meats for sale, and around the side you can peek in to watch flaky meat pastries…
July 11, 2017
ShanghaiIn September of last year, Shanghai eaters were shocked when Mr. Wu shuttered A Da Cong You Bing, the city’s best scallion pancake shop. The only explanation for the abrupt closure was a worn sign on the door that read: “My family has a problem. The stall will be closed for a few days.” But…
