Chinese-American Feast (Jewish Christmas) | Duck, Fried Rice & Egg Rolls

Eating Chinese food on Christmas is damn near as American as apple pie... let me explain. It’s a fact, Jews have been eating Chinese food on Christmas since the early 20th century. The two groups were often pushed to the outskirts of American culture, but the Chinese and Jews found solace in one another during Christmas; a time of year when it could be easy to feel out of place. Regardless of the history, Chinese-American food is dank.

Sure, General Tso’s Chicken isn’t authentically Chinese, but what does that matter? Chinese-American food was created by grizzled Chinese immigrants with a dream to build better lives for their families; the food that they created for the American palate is a direct expression of their hard-work and ability to adapt. Okay, I’m done... sorry, egg rolls just really fire me up. Let’s cook. 🤘🏼 Adam

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Jewish Christmas

Ingredients

General Tso Duck

• 1 Duck, trimmed and trussed
• ¼ cup Light Soy Sauce
• 1 bunch Scallions, cut into pieces
• 2 Garlic heads, halved
• 5 Star Anise
• 2 inch knob of Ginger
• 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
• 3 Tbsp and 1 tsp Brown Sugar, divided
• 1 tsp Black Pepper, more to taste
• 3 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• ¼ cup Rice Wine
• 1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
• ¼ tsp MSG
• 1 tsp Chili Oil
• 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• ½ cup Chicken Stock

Egg Rolls

• 3 sticks Celery, sliced thin
• 2 Carrots, sliced thin
• ½ head Green Cabbage, sliced thin
• 1 pound Ground Chicken Thigh
• 2 Tbsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine
• 1 tsp Oyster Sauce
• 1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
• ½ tsp Chinese 5 Spice
• ½ tsp White Pepper
• ½ tsp Sugar
• Egg roll wrappers
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Egg Wash, as needed
• Neutral Oil, for frying

Sweet & Sour Sauce

• 1 tsp Neutral Oil
• ¼ cup Ketchup
• 3 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Water
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Cornstarch

Spicy Mustard

• ½ cup Mustard Powder
• ¼ cup Water, cold
• Dash Soy Sauce

Shrimp Fried Rice

• ¼ cup and 1 Tbsp Neutral Oil, divided
• ½ pound Shrimp, cleaned and dice fine
• 6 Eggs, beaten
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 inch knob of Ginger, minced
• 2 cups Yellow Onion, diced
• ½ cup Green Peas
• 1 cup Bean Sprouts
• 6 cups White Rice, cooked and dried out
• 1 tsp Dark Brown Sugar
• ½ tsp White Pepper
• 2 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 2 Scallions, sliced thin on the bias

Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce (Gai Lan)

• 2 pounds Chinese Broccoli
• 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• ½ cup Oyster Sauce
• Toasted Sesame Seeds, garnish

Instructions

General Tso Duck

1. Up to a week before cooking the duck, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add scallions, garlic, star anise and soy sauce. Poke holes all over the duck and trim off any excess skin. Blanch the duck in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then remove and allow to drain on a wire rack. Once the duck is cool enough to handle, poke holes all over the skin. Season the duck with kosher salt, a teaspoon of brown sugar and a few cracks of black pepper. Let the duck dry out on a wire rack in the fridge uncovered for up to a week.
2. Remove the duck from the fridge and allow it to temper while you make the sauce. Preheat the oven to 425F. In a medium saucepan add vinegar, remaining 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, MSG, dark soy sauce, hoisin, chili oil, toasted sesame oil and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce the sauce until thick and viscous, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Place the duck on the center rack in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then remove and brush on a layer of glaze. Reduce the heat to 300F and cook for another 20 minutes and glaze again. Repeat this process once more for a total of 3 glaze applications. At the hour mark, check the duck every 15 minutes; once the internal temperature of the leg reads 160F, remove the duck from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Egg Rolls

1. Add a dash of neutral oil to a wok over high heat. Add celery, carrot and cabbage with a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until most of the water evaporates from the vegetables, about 5 minutes. Transfer the veggies to a large strainer inside of a bowl and set aside.
2. To the same wok, add ground chicken and break it up with your cooking utensil. Cook until the chicken begins to brown, then deglaze with shaoxing wine. Cook until dry. Add soy sauce, Chinese five spice powder, white pepper and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce if needed. Transfer the chicken mixture to the bowl with the veggies and toss everything together.
3. Mix together an egg and a splash of water to make an egg wash. Lay out an egg roll wrapper and scoop a ⅓ cup of the filling mixture onto the wrapper. The egg rolls should be large. Use a brush to apply the egg wash to the sides of the egg roll, then fold it up. Repeat the process with the remaining egg rolls.
4. Preheat neutral oil to 300F. Fry the egg rolls until lightly golden for 3-4 minutes, then remove and drain on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining egg rolls. Increase the heat to 375F. Fry the egg rolls for a second time until deeply golden brown and crispy. Let drain on wire racks before serving. Serve with homemade spicy mustard and sweet & sour sauce.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add the neutral oil to a small saucepan and pour in the sauce. Simmer the sauce on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the sauce becomes pasty, stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool before serving.

Spicy Mustard

1. Mix mustard powder, water and soy sauce. Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes before serving to mellow out.

Shrimp Fried Rice

1. Cook the rice and allow it to dry out uncovered on a plate in the fridge overnight.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet or wok over high heat. Add in a tablespoon of oil and shrimp. Cook for 1 minute before adding the beaten eggs. Season with a pinch of salt, then cook and reserve on a plate.
3. Add the remaining oil and let it get hot for a minute. Cook ginger and garlic for 15 seconds, then add frozen peas, bean sprouts and onion. Season with a pinch of salt, cook for 4 or 5 minutes until the vegetables are lightly cooked. Add rice, sugar, white pepper and dark soy sauce to the wok. Mix until the rice is coated and darkened. Turn off the heat and stir in the shrimp and egg mixture. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions.

Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce (Gai Lan)

1. If the Chinese broccoli stems are over ½ an inch thick, slice them in half, lengthwise. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli for 2 minutes, then shock in an ice bath. Remove from the water and pat dry on paper towels.
2. Place the broccoli on a large serving platter. Drizzle with the toasted sesame oil and oyster sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Adam's Notes

• Spicy Mustard will only be spicy if you use cold water.



FAQ

Can you make the duck without aging in the fridge?

• Yes, but the skin won’t be as crisp. Age the duck for as long as you can, if it’s one day, great. If it’s 5 days, even better. The duck can be left to age for up to a week, if you have a dry-ager (lucky you), then you can let the duck go for 14 days for best results.

Can you make the fried rice with fresh white rice?

• Yes, but it won’t absorb flavors of the sauce as well and will clump together.

Can I add things to the eggroll filling like meat or other veggies?

• Absolutely. Just don’t go too hard on the filling or you could end up with an egg burrito.

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