Peking Duck

China's national dish — lacquered whole duck roasted until the skin is impossibly crispy, served with mandarin pancakes, hoisin and cucumber.

Peking duck is China's most celebrated dish, with a history stretching back to the imperial court of the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), listed in the Complete Recipes for Dishes and Beverages, a court cookbook from 1330. The skin is considered the most important part — served as its own course before the meat. The lacquering process — multiple coats of maltose syrup applied over 24-48 hours of air drying — creates the mahogany colour and glass-like crackle. Quanjude restaurant in Beijing, founded in 1864, claims to have roasted over 200 million ducks and is considered the institutional home of the dish.

The key is completely dry skin before roasting — hang or refrigerate uncovered for 24-48 hours. The skin is served first as its own course. Never rush this dish.