Peking Duck in Kolkata: A Practical Home Recipe

Peking duck is a Beijing-style roast duck served with thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and a sweet-savory sauce; in Kolkata, ingredients such as hoisin sauce and Chinese pancakes are available in some shops but may need substitutes. This home version uses a whole duck, a simple maltose glaze, and a hot oven to encourage crisp skin, then serves the carved meat in wraps inspired by the classic presentation.

Ingredients

1 whole duck, about 5 lb (2.3 kg), thawed if frozen
2 tsp (10 g) fine salt
1 tsp (2 g) Chinese five-spice powder
1 orange, quartered, about 7 oz (200 g)
4 scallions, trimmed, about 3 oz (85 g)
1 piece fresh ginger, 2 in (5 cm), sliced
2 tbsp (40 g) maltose or honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) boiling water
1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
12 Chinese wheat pancakes, about 8 oz (225 g) total, or small flour tortillas
½ cup (120 g) hoisin sauce
1 English cucumber, about 10 oz (285 g), cut into thin matchsticks
4 scallions, about 3 oz (85 g), cut into thin strips for serving

Instructions

Dry the duck. Remove the neck and giblets if included, and trim large pieces of excess fat around the cavity. Pat the duck very dry inside and out. Prick the skin all over with the tip of a skewer, taking care not to pierce the meat. This helps fat render and skin dry; avoid making deep holes that let meat juices escape.
Season and air-dry. Mix the salt and five-spice, then rub over the duck, including the cavity. Put the orange, the first four scallions, and ginger inside loosely. Set the duck breast-side up on a rack over a rimmed tray and refrigerate uncovered for 8–10 hours. Keep raw poultry and its drips separate from other foods.
Glaze and preheat. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Stir the maltose or honey with boiling water until fluid, then mix in rice vinegar and soy sauce. Brush a thin, even coat over the duck. Leave it on the rack while the oven heats, about 20 minutes; discard any glaze that has touched raw duck or utensils used on it.
Roast slowly. Roast breast-side up for about 1 hour 45 minutes, pouring off accumulated fat from the tray carefully once or twice. Do not let the tray fat smoke. The duck may need more or less time depending on its size and oven, so use temperature rather than the clock alone.
Crisp the skin and check doneness. Raise the oven to 425°F (220°C) and roast for 20–35 minutes, watching closely so the glaze does not burn. Check the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh with a food thermometer, without touching bone. USDA FSIS sets 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for duck; if any checked area is below that, continue roasting and check again. Rest the duck for 15 minutes before carving.
Warm the accompaniments. While the duck rests, warm the pancakes according to their package directions, usually by steaming briefly. Arrange the cucumber, serving scallions, and hoisin sauce on a platter. If using tortillas, warm them in a covered pan or microwave so they bend without cracking.
Carve and serve. Remove the aromatics from the cavity. Slice the crisp skin and meat from the breast, then carve the legs and thighs. Serve the duck warm with pancakes, cucumber, scallions, and hoisin for guests to assemble into wraps.

Tips

For crisp skin, make sure the duck is thoroughly dry before seasoning and give it the full uncovered refrigerator drying time. If the skin still looks damp, blot it gently before glazing.
Maltose is a traditional glaze ingredient and can be difficult to find in Kolkata. Honey is a practical substitute, though it tastes more floral and can brown faster, so watch the final high-heat stage.
Chinese wheat pancakes and hoisin sauce may be sold in larger supermarkets or specialty shops. Small flour tortillas work for pancakes; a mix of 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey, and 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil makes a quick, less complex stand-in for hoisin.
Save rendered duck fat by straining it into a clean container and refrigerating promptly. Use it within 1 week for roasting potatoes; do not leave it at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions

Set out the duck, warm pancakes, hoisin, cucumber, and scallion separately so everyone can build a wrap. A little extra five-spice on roasted vegetables, steamed greens, or plain rice makes a useful side without competing with the rich duck. For a Kolkata-style table, serve with a sharp cucumber salad or lightly dressed cabbage alongside the traditional accompaniments.

Variations

If you cannot find a whole duck, use duck legs or breasts, but adjust roasting time and still verify that each piece reaches 165°F (74°C). Pieces will not give quite the same carved platter or evenly rendered skin. For a more pantry-friendly glaze, use honey and vinegar as above; for a deeper savory flavor, add 1 tsp (5 ml) hoisin to the glaze, while keeping the serving sauce separate. If you prefer less sweetness, serve the duck with soy sauce mixed with a little rice vinegar instead of hoisin.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover duck within 2 hours of cooking, separated from the pancakes and fresh vegetables, in a covered container. Cooked duck keeps 3–4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Freeze carved meat for up to 3 months for best quality; thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Reheat meat covered in a 325°F (165°C) oven with a spoonful of water or stock until it reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout. To refresh the skin, uncover it for the last few minutes; reheat pancakes separately according to their package directions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Peking duck without hanging it to dry?
Yes. The uncovered rack-and-tray method in this recipe dries the skin in the refrigerator without special equipment. Keep the duck on the lowest refrigerator shelf so raw juices cannot drip onto other foods.

Can I shorten the overnight drying time?
Eight hours is a practical minimum for this method, and 10 hours is better for dry skin. If time is limited, pat the duck carefully and refrigerate it uncovered for as long as you can, but expect less crisp skin.

Why is my duck skin not crisp?
Common causes are damp skin, too little time for the fat to render, or crowding the duck in a pan. Use a rack, pour off excess tray fat carefully, and finish at high heat while watching the glaze closely.

Can I prepare parts of the recipe ahead?
Season and air-dry the duck the day before. You can slice the cucumber and scallions a few hours ahead and refrigerate them in separate covered containers, but warm pancakes and carve the duck just before serving for the best texture.

Is hoisin sauce essential?
No. It is a convenient sweet, savory accompaniment, but the meal still works with a quick soy-honey-vinegar sauce or plain soy sauce with rice vinegar. These substitutes are thinner and less aromatic than hoisin.

How do I know the duck is safe to eat?
Use a food thermometer in the thickest breast and innermost thigh, avoiding bone. The safe minimum is 165°F (74°C); color alone is not a reliable doneness check.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).