Crispy duck bao buns with a mooli & apple slaw (makes 12)

Crispy duck served in pillowy soft bao buns with a mooli & apple slaw, ideal as an appetiser or served as a canapé for a drinks party. Serve both these duck bao buns and the crispy chicken boa buns as part of a sharing feast.

Ingredients:

4 duck breasts, skin on, thinly sliced

125ml buttermilk

3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1/2 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste, if you like it spicy, up the chilli flakes)

1 tsp sea salt flakes

300g plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

oil for deep frying

For the mooli & apple slaw:

2 green apples (Granny Smith's are perfect) cut into matchsticks

500g mooli, cut into matchsticks (Daikon)

2 spring onions, shredded

1 tsp lime juice

grated zest of 1 lime

150g kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayonnaise)

To serve:

12 bao buns

Japanese Togarashi seasoning

Method:

1. Put buttermilk, sweet chilli sauce, chilli flakes and salt in a bowl mix well to combine, add duck, stir to coat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

125ml buttermilk, 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes ( or to taste) , 1 tsp sea salt flakes, 4 thinly sliced skin on duck breasts.

2. Place all the ingredients for the slaw in a bowl, mix well to combine, refrigerate until ready to use.

​2 green apples cut into matchsticks, 500g mooli cut into matchsticks, 2 shredded spring onions, 1 tsp lime juice, grated zest of 1 lime, 500g kewpie mayonnaise.

3. Pre-heat deep fat fryer or deep sided pan with oil to 180˚C. Put flour and baking powder in a plastic freezer bag, shake, strain duck and add to bag a few at a time, shaking between each addition to ensure each piece of duck is thoroughly coated in flour mixture. Cook duck pieces (shaking of excess flour) in batches for 2-3 until golden and crisp, drain on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil and keep warm while you cook the rest.

3oog plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, vegetable oil for frying

4. Steam bao buns for a couple of minutes in a bamboo steamer (or cook according to packet instructions) place a good spoonful of slaw into each bun, divide crispy duck between buns, drizzle with kewpie mayonnaise and sprinkle with Japanese togarashi seasoning.

12 bao buns, kewpie mayonnaise, Japanese togarashi seasoning

Notes on where to source ingredients:

Mooli (sometimes called Daikon) can be found in most good greengrocers or Asian food stores. I get mine in the English Market, Cork

Kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayonnaise) can be bought from Mr Bells (see sourcing page for details) or any good Asian Food store.

Bao buns available in M&S foodhalls.