Beijing kaoya

Beijing kaoya, also known as Peking duck, is roast duck carved into slices and served with pancakes and accompaniments. Crisp skin is central to the dish. Bill Leung describes whole birds roasted in wood-fired ovens, with thin pieces of skin and meat presented alongside spring onions, cucumber and sauce. Diners wrap their own portions in the pancakes; steamed folded buns are another serving option.^[1]

Leung’s home adaptation uses duck breasts rather than a whole hanging bird. The breasts are seasoned, seared skin-side down and finished under a broiler, while wheat-flour pancakes are prepared separately. Discs of dough are paired with oil between them, rolled thin and cooked together before being separated into two wrappers. This preparation recreates the sliced-duck serving arrangement while using a different cooking method from the restaurant roast.^[1]