Take the cloves, Sichuan pepper and fennel seed and keep separate. Also take 1/2 tsp of the star anise and 1/2 inch cinnamon bark. Please all these in a roasting pan and heat until fragrant. Let cool down

Grind the above mixture in a small kitchen blender or a mortar and pestle. In the latter case shred the cinnamon stick on a shredder.

Keep the remaining herbs and spices with the soy sauce ready.

Dry the duck legs with a kitchen paper towel and cover them with all the whole and ground spices and the soy sauce.

Place the covered duck legs in a re-sealable plastic bag and marinate for a minimum of 2 h and a maximum of one day.

Then before the oven cooking, pre-heat the oven to 170 C.

Take a broiling pan and mix the chilli peppers, the plums and the sugar first in the pan. Then add the duck legs (skin side up) with the marinade.

Place without a lid on, in the oven for 2 - 21/2 hour. Check that the skin will not get too dark. Otherwise cover with some foil.

Serve. Goes well with potatoes or rice and cooked vegetables.