Steamed Duck with Glutinous Rice and Ham

Ingredients

• 1 whole duck, fatty and boneless
• 1 wine cup glutinous rice (nuomi)
• Jinhua ham, diced
• preserved turnip (tatsai), diced
• shiitake mushrooms
• bamboo shoots, diced
• autumn-pressed soy sauce (qiuyou)
• rice wine (huangjiu)
• small-mill sesame oil
• scallion flowers (or tender scallion greens, minced)
• 1 bowl chicken stock (gaotang)

Instructions

1. Remove all bones from a fatty young duck, taking care to leave the skin intact and the cavity accessible. In a separate bowl, combine the glutinous rice, diced ham, diced preserved turnip, shiitake mushrooms, diced bamboo shoots, autumn-pressed soy sauce (qiuyou), rice wine, and small-mill sesame oil (xiaomo ma you). Mix this stuffing well.
2. Fill the duck cavity completely with the prepared stuffing, distributing it evenly. Scatter the scallion flowers over and inside the opening.
3. Place the stuffed duck on a plate or shallow vessel. Pour the chicken stock (gaotang) around the duck—not inside it, but in the surrounding pan or plate. This creates a steaming medium.
4. Set up a water bath (隔水蒸 — steaming pot with water below a perforated rack). Position the plate containing the duck and stock over gently simmering water. Cover and steam until the duck is completely cooked through and tender, the rice is softened, and all flavors have melded—approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the bird and intensity of the steam. The stock will reduce and concentrate, enriching the cooking liquid with duck fat and the essence of the stuffing.
5. Serve the duck whole or portioned, spooning the reduced stock and any rendered fat over it.