Ingredients :

• Whole duck (1.8 to 2 kg) — Choose a medium-sized duck. Large ducks over 2.5 kg work but require more time. Avoid roasting ducks that are too lean—you need a bit of fat so the meat stays juicy after frying.
• Chicken stock (instead of Shaoxing wine) — Shaoxing wine is the classic rice wine of Cantonese cuisine. We replace it here with concentrated chicken stock—it brings that umami base without the alcohol. Use a good stock, not a cube diluted in lukewarm water.
• Light soy sauce + dark soy sauce — The two don’t do the same job. Light soy brings salt and flavor. Dark soy gives that deep brown color to the skin and caramelizes slightly during cooking. Without dark soy, the duck looks visually pale.
• Star anise — 3 to 4 stars are enough. It’s the signature aroma of the dish—that slightly licorice note that permeates the meat during braising. If your stars are old and odorless, replace them. Stale star anise is useless.