Instructions: 1. Soak tangerine peel.

2. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Place in a deep heatproof bowl with tangerine peel on top. Slice ginger root and add.

3. Combine sugar, soy sauce, sherry, honey and salt. Pour over duck. Bring water to a boil and also pour over.

4. Steam 1 hour by the bowl-in-a-pot method (see "HOW-TO SECTION").

5. Drain duck, reserving liquid, and let bird cool and dry. Meanwhile shell, blanch, toast and sliver almonds; mince smoked ham.

6. Rub water-chestnut flour into duck skin, then truss bird (see "HOW-TO SECTION").

7. Heat oil until boiling. Using a wire basket or long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in bird and deep-fry, turning and basting, until golden. Drain on paper toweling.

8. Untie duck and let cool slightly. Then chop, bones and all, in 2-inch sections; or carve Western-style.

9. Slowly heat duck liquid in a saucepan. Blend cornstarch and cold water to a paste and stir in to thicken. Pour sauce over duck and serve, garnished with ham and almonds.

VARIATION: In steps 2 and 3, omit the seasoning ingredients given and the boiling water. Pour over the duck instead a mixture of 1 cup soy sauce; 1/2 cup sherry; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1/2 tablespoon salt; dash of pepper; 3 scallion stalks, sliced; and 2 or 3 garlic cloves, crushed. After steaming, discard sauce and hang duck up to dry over a drip pan in a cool, airy place for several hours or overnight. Then pick up steps 6, 7 and 8, omitting step

9.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.