Vegetarian duck

Votes: 1

Time: 3 hours.
Complexity: average
Servings: 6

Nutritional value per serving:

Calories 234, total fat 17 G., saturated fats 2 G., proteins 16 G., carbohydrates 7 G., fiber 3 G., cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 585 mg, sugar 2 G.

"The first time I tried vegetarian duck, I was so surprised by its texture and umami flavor," says recipe author Vivienne Chan. "It's all thanks to the thin layers of fuzhu, filled with juicy, aromatic vegetables and mushrooms, soaked in a rich sauce. While this dish can be enjoyed year-round, it's typically prepared during Chinese New Year. We often eat vegetarian dishes on the first day of the holiday to ease into the new year. This version of vegetarian duck is based on my mother-in-law's recipe, which she's been making for decades."

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

30 g dried shiitake mushrooms
15 grams of dried muer
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into 5cm long strips.
2 medium stalks celery, trimmed and thinly sliced into 5cm long strips.
3 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tbsp + 1 tsp light soy sauce
0.5 tsp ground white pepper
5 large round sheets of fresh fuzhu, from a 200g package (each about 42cm in diameter)

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: shiitake mushrooms, carrot, celery, tofu

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Rinse dried shiitake and suer mushrooms with cold water to remove any sand or dirt. Place each mushroom in a separate bowl and add enough water to just cover, about 3/4 cup each. Let sit until the mushrooms are tender and pliable, about 45 minutes.
Trim the shiitake mushroom stems with scissors. Squeeze out any excess liquid and set aside for later use. Thinly slice the shiitake caps. Trim the hard ends of the mu'er mushrooms, then slice them thinly. Discard any liquid from the mu'er mushrooms. Transfer both types of mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

In a very large nonstick skillet (see Note), heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and stir to distribute evenly. Add 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, and 1 tablespoon water; stir until coated. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes. Wipe the skillet clean and set aside.
Meanwhile, lightly dampen a paper towel with water and place it nearby. Pour 2 tablespoons of the shiitake mushroom water into a small bowl. Set the rest aside for later use.
Remove the fuzhu sheet from its packaging and work quickly to prevent it from drying out, cracking, or losing its flexibility. Fold the sheet in quarters and trim off the edge with scissors, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) off the edge, as this will dry out and ruin the dish.
Gently wipe both sides of the two sheets of fuzhu with the prepared paper towel and stack them. If there are any tears, stack the sheets so that the tears don't line up. Cut one of the remaining fuzhu in half, then cut one half into quarters (set the remaining half aside for another use). Wipe both sides of one quarter and place it on top of the stack in one quadrant. Place half of the vegetable filling, about 2 cups, directly on top of the fuzhu quarter.
Form the filling into a rectangle approximately 8 cm (3 inches) in size. Fold the right side of the fuzu stack toward the center, then the left side, and finally the bottom. Dip your fingers in a small bowl of shiitake mushroom water and coat all sides, like glue. Fold the fuzu as if you were rolling a burrito, tucking it in tightly and rolling it until you have a rectangle 25 cm (10 inches) long and 10 cm (4 inches) wide. Brush the seam with shiitake mushroom water to seal well. Repeat with the remaining fuzu layers and filling.
Heat the same skillet with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the rolls. Fry until golden brown on the bottom, 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, another 1 minute. Gently fry the sides, about 15 seconds each. Transfer to a plate. Let cool slightly. Pour off any excess oil and wipe out the skillet.
Add 1 cup water, 0.5 cups of reserved shiitake mushroom water (if not enough, substitute with water to make up the difference), a pinch of salt, and the remaining 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper to the same pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and add the stuffed rolls to the mixture. Poke holes in the rolls with a toothpick. Soak one side for 15 minutes, then flip and soak for another 15 minutes.
Fill a large wok or wide pot with 2 inches of water and place a steamer basket over it. Bring to a full boil over high heat. Place one of the soaked rolls on a plate in the pot and steam until slightly puffed, about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the plate from the steamer and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining roll. Once the rolls have cooled, turn them over with the long side facing you and slice them into 1/2-inch-thick pieces with a sharp chef's knife.

Culinary advice:
You can fry the rolls one at a time, dividing the oil evenly. Then, prepare the soaking liquid in a small saucepan and pour it over the rolls in a 22x32 cm baking dish to soak them (the rolls should fit in the dish and be next to each other).
Bring the soaking liquid to a full boil and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Pour over the sliced rolls. Enjoy!

Chef's Note

Fu zhu sheets are the dried film that forms during the preparation of soybean curd. They are also known as "soy asparagus." It's crucial to obtain the correct shape of fuzhu. These are very thin, pliable, chilled or frozen sheets with a texture similar to tofu. Don't confuse them with the regular soy asparagus sold in the salad aisle. Only fuzhu sheets are suitable for this recipe. This product is used in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cuisine.