Dissolve the sugar in a little water and brush over the duck. Make small slits in the duck skin and loosen it slightly. Using a straw blow air under the skin.

Peel and dice the shallots and use to stuff the duck. Sew up the opening with cooking thread and truss. Hang the duck in a well ventilated place for about 12 hours, until the skin dries out.

Place the duck on a roasting rack over a roasting tin and roast in a moderate oven (180°C, 350°F, gas 4) for about 1 hour, turning it over after 30 minutes. After 45 minutes, increase the heat to hot (220°C, 425°F, gas 7) and brown the duck well for a further 10-20 minutes.

Mix the flour and salt to taste with the 6 tablespoons of hot water to make a dough. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm (1/4 in) and cut it into large rounds.

Lightly fry the pancakes on one side in a little oil until half cooked, then arrange them on a plate and steam over boiling water for 10 minutes. Trim, wash and finely slice the leeks.

Cut the cooked duck into small pieces. Arrange the meat and crisp skin on a plate. Serve the thinly sliced leeks separately with the pancakes and soy sauce.