MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.01
  
       Title: Duck with Sugar Cane (Vit Tiem Mia)
  Categories: Vietnamese, Poultry, Ceideburg 2
       Yield: 8 servings
  
     1/2 c  Shelled peanuts, red skin
            -removed
     1/2 c  Chestnuts, either fresh or
            -dried
     1/2 c  Ginkgo nuts, canned or fresh
     1/2 c  Dried lotus seeds
       8    Dried Chinese mushrooms
     1/2 c  Red dates (jujubes)
       1    Duck (about 5 pounds)
            Salt
       1 tb Finely chopped fresh ginger
            -root
       3    Shallots, chopped fine
       2    Eighteen-inch pieces of
            -sugar cane (if
            -unavailable, omit)
            Clear water from 1 coconut
       1 ts Rock sugar
       1 tb Fish sauce
       3    Scallions, both green part
            -and white, cut into 4
            -pieces crosswise
            Sprinkling of freshly
            -ground black pepper
            Sprig fresh coriander
            -(Chinese parsley), chopped
  
   Here are a few recipe for those folks flailing away with huge lengths
   of sugar cane.  They're all Vietnamese.  I've actually made the
   simpler shrimp paste/sugar cane one.  Very yummy.  This first one is
   for duck though...
   
   Prepare the various nuts, the lotus seeds, dried mushrooms, and red
   dates as follows:
   
   Soak the peanuts in hot water for 30 minutes; drain and set aside. If
   using dried chestnuts, boil for 20 minutes, drain, and set aside.  If
   using fresh ginkgo nuts, remove the shell and blanch to remove the
   thin inner skin; set aside.  Soak the Chinese mushrooms in hot water
   for 20 minutes, then drain, remove the stems and cut into quarters;
   set aside.
   
   Boil the dried lotus seeds for 20 minutes; drain and set aside.  Soak
   the red dates in hot water for 30 minutes.  (If they are very dry,
   boil for 10 minutes.) Drain and set aside.
   
   Rinse and clean the duck.  Rub salt over the duck and rinse off; let
   dry for 10 minutes.
   
   Combine the ginger, shallots, and 1 teaspoon salt.  Rub the inside of
   the duck with the mixture.  Combine the peanuts, chestnuts, ginkgo
   nuts, lotus seeds, and 1 teaspoon salt and stuff the duck.  Sew the
   duck closed with heavy white thread, or else use skewers.
   
   Peel the sugar cane and cut into thin lengthwise strips, the same
   length as the duck.  Place 3 pieces of white kitchen string on a flat
   surface, long enough to tie the slices of sugar cane around the duck,
   covering the entire surface.  Bring the string around and tie as you
   would a roast. Turn the duck over and slide the remaining strips
   under the string, covering the entire duck with the sugar cane.
   
   Pour the coconut water into a large pot.  Put the duck into the pot
   and add enough water to completely cover.  Add the rock sugar and 1
   teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil and remove the scum continuously
   for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down, cover, and keep at a lively
   bubble for 2 hours. Turn the duck every 30 minutes.
   
   After 2 hours, remove the duck from the pot; untie and discard the
   sugar cane.  To the liquid remaining in the pot add the mushrooms,
   red dates, 1 teaspoon salt, and the fish sauce.  Boil, covered, for
   15 minutes, then remove the duck to the broth, cover, and simmer for
   an additional 15 minutes.  Remove the duck and add the scallion
   pieces to the broth.
   
   To serve, break the duck, with the bones, into 8 pieces.  Put the
   pieces in individual bowls and add broth, some of the various nuts
   that were stuffed into the duck, red dates, and mushrooms.  Sprinkle
   with black pepper and chopped fresh coriander.
   
   Makes 8 servings.
   
   From “The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam”, Bach Ngo and Gloria Zimmerman,
   Barron’s, 1979.
   
   Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; May 24 1993.
  
 MMMMM

Plain Text Version of This Recipe for Printing or Saving