Five-Spice Duck

Method

1. Lightly sprinkle the five-spice and salt over the flesh side of the duck. On the skin side, sprinkle salt only. Place skin-side down in a cold frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the skin is brown and crispy - reserve 1 tbsp of the duck fat for the rice. Flip the duck, cook for 2 minutes, then rest on a plate for 5 minutes.
2. In a medium pot, heat the reserved duck fat over medium. Stir in the rice, star anise, and cinnamon for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Discard the whole spices and fluff with a fork.
3. In a small pan over medium heat, combine the plum jam, soy sauce, the remaining star anise, and 2 tbsp of water. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the jam has melted and the sauce has thickened to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat and discard the star anise (If desired, the star anise can be used for plating).
4. In a small bowl, toss the cucumber ribbons with the vinegar and the pinch of salt just before serving.
5. Slice the duck into thick pieces. Serve alongside the rice and a neat coil of cucumber ribbons. Spoon the plum sauce around the meat and garnish with radish.