| 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 |
