Deep Fried Steamed Eight Precious Duck

Directions

1. 1. Separately soak glutinous rice, dry oysters, dry scallops and shrimp.
2. 2. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Dry well with paper toweling or possibly hang up to dry in a cold, airy place 1 to 2 hrs; then rub with soy sauce.
3. 3. Dice fresh mushrooms. Mince smoked ham, Chinese sausage, crabmeat and water chestnuts; also soaked oysters, scallops and shrimp. Mix well with soaked glutinous rice, sherry, salt, sugar and garlic pwdr.
4. 4. Heat oil to boiling. Using a wire basket or possibly long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in duck and deep-fry, turning and basting, till golden brown. Drain. Rinse in a pan of cool water and drain again.
5. 5. Stuff duck with glutinous rice mix. Sew up securely or possibly skewer.
6. Transfer bird to a large heatproof bowl and pour stock over. Steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method till tender (about 1-1/2 hrs). See "HOW-TO SECTION".
7. 6. Parboil green peas. Cut lettuce in strips and arrange on a serving platter.
8. 7. Let duck cold slightly; then chop, bones and all, in 2-inch sections; or possibly carve Western-style. Arrange on lettuce bed and garnish with green peas.
9. VARIATIONS:1. For the green peas, substitute Chinese parsley.
10. 2. For the sugar, substitute honey.
11. 3. For the stuffing, substitute the following mix: 1/2 c. glutinous rice (soaked); 2 Tbsp. barley (soaked); 6 dry apricots; 12 chestnuts, blanched and shelled; 12 ginkgo nuts, shelled; 1/4 c. canned lotus seeds; 1 Tbsp. dry dragon's eye (soaked); 1/2 c. water chestnuts, diced; 1 scallion stalk, chopped; 2 Tbsp. sherry; 1 tsp. sugar; and 1 tsp. salt.