Crispy taro duck dumpling with plum sauce

A rustic yet sophisticated creation featuring rich, tender duck legs slow-braised in red wine and aromatics. The savoury filling is encased in a velvety, golden-crisp taro crust enhanced with salted egg yolk. Served with a vibrant, fresh plum sauce, it balances rich, comforting textures with a bright, refreshing fruity finish.

INGREDIENTS

For the braised duck filling

2kg duck legs

100g carrots

100g onions

100g celery

30g ginger

20g garlic, smashed

50ml olive oil

500ml Đà Lạt red wine

40g peanut butter

10g chicken powder

10g white sugar

30ml light soy sauce

30ml dark soy sauce

5g black pepper

5g salt

30g wheat flour

250g taro

For the taro wrapper

150g wheat starch

1 salted egg yolk, steamed and mashed

40g pilot butter

For the plum sauce

1kg fresh plums, pitted

200g white sugar

150ml white wine

5g cinnamon stick

Other ingredients

10g chives

15g fresh shiitake mushrooms

Executive sous chef Tống Đăng Khoái of Mövenpick Hotel's O Macanese Restaurant. Photos courtesy of Mövenpick Hotel

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the braised duck filling

Sear the duck legs in a large pot with olive oil until golden brown. Remove and set aside. In the same pot, sauté the carrots, onions, celery, ginger and garlic until aromatic.

Return the duck legs to the pot. Pour in the red wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and enough water to cover the meat. Season with chicken powder, sugar, salt, black pepper and peanut butter. Simmer over low heat for 1½ to 2 hours until the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender.

Shred the duck meat, discarding the bones and skin. Thicken the remaining braising liquid with a flour slurry to create a rich gravy, then mix it back into the shredded duck.

Combine the filling by gently folding the mashed taro into the shredded duck mixture along with finely chopped chives and fresh shiitake mushrooms until well combined. Let the filling cool completely. Divide into 50g portions.

Make the wrapper

Scald the wheat starch with a small amount of boiling water, then combine it with the mashed salted egg yolk and butter. Knead into a smooth, pliable dough. Divide into 50g portions.

Assemble, fry and serve

Flatten a wrapper portion, place 50g of the duck-taro filling inside, and shape it into an oval dumpling. Deep-fry in hot oil (170°C) until the exterior puffs up into a beautiful, lacy, crispy crust. Drain well.

For the plum sauce

Simmer pitted fresh plums with sugar, white wine, and a cinnamon stick until completely broken down. Remove the cinnamon stick. Blend the mixture until perfectly smooth, then strain through a fine sieve into a vibrant, ruby-red glossy sauce. Transfer a portion into a small squeeze bottle for precision decoration, and the remaining sauce into a small white ceramic serving bowl.

To serve

Place the freshly fried, hot crispy duck-taro dumpling slightly offset in the centre of the plate. Using the squeeze bottle, dot small, glossy droplets of the ruby-red plum sauce directly onto the honeycomb lace of the dumpling. Delicately arrange the tiny pink edible flower petals and green micro-leaves on top of each plum sauce droplet. Place the small white bowl filled with extra plum sauce next to the plate. Serve immediately while the dumpling is still hot and completely crispy.

Crispy duck-taro dumpling with plum sauce is available through September 30 at the Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi’s O Macanese Restaurant, 83A Lý Thường Kiệt Street, Hà Nội.

For reservation and inquiries, please call +84 24 3822 2800.