Teochew Braised Duck (Loh Arp)

I have to say that this braised duck dish is absolutely amazing. I'm not usually a big fan of duck dishes... Surprisingly to me, the duck turned out to be sweet and succulent, coupled with the aroma and flavors of the lemongrass, galangal, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon, dipped with spicy and sour lime sauce -- left me at a tingling sweet and sour high!

Teochew Braised Duck (Loh Arp)
2 tbsp of kosher salt
4 - 5 lbs of duck, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
2 cups of water, plus more if needed
1/2 cup of dark soy sauce
2 - 3 plump stalks of lemongrass, trimmed, bruised, and halved
1-inch piece of galangal, smashed
1 tbsp of sugar
4 whole cloves
4 star anise pods
2 two-inch cinnamon sticks
1 tsp of black peppercorns
Chili-lime dipping sauce - recipe follows

Rub 1 1/2 tbsp of salt evenly all over the duck, including inside of the cavity.
In a large wok, mix together the water, dark soy sauce, lemongrass, galangal, sugar, cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and the remaining salt. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently lower the duck into the wok. The liquid should reach halfway up the duck. Top it off with more water if necessary.
For the first 20 minutes, baste the duck every 5 minutes or so to color it evenly. Cover and simmer for another 40 - 60 minutes, or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, flipping the duck halfway through cooking. If the sauce is drying up, add more water, 1/4 cup at a time.
To check for doneness, poke the duck in the thigh with a chopstick. If the juices run clear, the duck is cooked.
Turn off the heat and leave the duck immersed in the sauce for another hour if desired.
Cut the duck into serving pieces and arrange on a serving platter. Skim the fat from the surface of the sauce, then drizzle the sauce over the duck.
Serve with freshly steamed rice and the dipping sauce.

Chili-Lime Dipping Sauce
4 cloves of garlic
2 fresh red chilies, or 2 tbsp of prepared chili paste
8 tbsp of key lime juice
Salt

Pound the garlic and chilies in a mortar with a pestle (or whirl in a small food processor) until a coarse paste forms. Add the lime juice and salt to taste, and mix well.