The dish of dry pot duck heads is essentially a combination of dry pot and hot pot cooking styles. First, duck heads are simmered in a braising liquid until they are 70% cooked. They are then removed and stir-fried with a secret dry pot sauce and other ingredients until fragrant. The duck heads are served in a hot pot dish. Of course, other vegetables can be added to the dry pot duck heads, which makes for an even more delicious meal!
How to Make Dry Pot Duck Heads
Ingredients
12 duck heads, 50g of Tiantmu bamboo shoots, 50g of rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, 35g of celery sticks, 15g of green pepper strips, 15g of red pepper strips, 25g of onion strips, 30g of garlic, 10g of ginger slices, 15g of scallion knot, 3g of salt, 2g of monosodium glutamate (MSG), 300g of dry pot old oil, 25g of secret sauce, 20g of fresh Sichuan pepper oil, 10g of sesame paste, 5g of fermented tofu, 1 pot of red braising liquid, and an appropriate amount of fresh broth.
Cooking Instructions
1. After blanching the duck heads, braise them in the red braising liquid until they are 70% cooked. Remove them, drain off any excess water, and cut them in half.
2. Heat the old oil in a clean wok over high heat. Stir-fry the scallions, ginger, and garlic to release their fragrance. Add all the ingredients and duck heads, along with the secret sauce, sesame paste, and fermented tofu. Stir-fry until evenly mixed. Add a small amount of fresh broth, season, and simmer briefly. Transfer to a hot pot dish (place the ingredients at the bottom of the pot and the duck heads on top) and serve.
Selecting Ingredients for Dry Pot Duck Heads
To select suitable duck heads for this dish, first check that the duck heads are clean and meaty. Avoid those that appear gray and have tight, thin skin. Also, choose duck heads without feathers around the eyelids. These are ideal for making dry pot duck heads.
Tips for Making Dry Pot Duck Heads
1. Cleaning: Duck heads typically come with tongues, which may contain some fine sand beneath. Be sure to clean this area carefully when washing the duck heads.
2. Braising: After cleaning, the duck heads should be blanched and then simmered in Sichuan-style red braising liquid for 20 minutes. When pierced with chopsticks, they should feel slightly firm. Do not overcook them, as they may become mushy when stir-fried later.
3. Stir-Frying: Before stir-frying, split the braised duck heads in half from the chin up to the forehead. Stir-fry them with the other ingredients, adding dry pot old oil and homemade secret sauce to ensure the duck heads are well-flavored.
Preparation of the Braising Liquid for Dry Pot Duck Heads
How to Make Dry Pot Old Oil
Heat 500g of vegetable oil in a pot. Add 12g of scallion pieces, 13g of ginger slices, 25g of mashed chili peppers, 7g of garlic cloves, 33g of Pixian broad bean chili paste, 17g of pickled chili paste, and spices (0.4g of fennel seed, 0.5g of bay leaf, 0.5g of white cardamom, 0.1g of cinnamon, 0.2g of star anise, 0.3g of Chinese ginger, 0.4g of thyme, 0.4g of Sichuan pepper, 0.4g of star anise). Fry over low heat for 10 minutes, remove from heat, pour into a clean container, and let it sit for one day before use.
How to Make Secret Sauce
Finely chop 33g of black bean sauce and 17g of spicy sauce. Steam 33g of hot pot base until melted. In a clean wok over high heat, add the dry pot old oil, all the sauces, and rock sugar. Stir-fry until evenly mixed. Finally, sprinkle with crushed peanuts and roasted sesame seeds.