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1
Strain the duck egg yolks twice through fine muslin, removing all membrane fragments, so that no fibrous threads survive to break the surface of the finished drops. Combine the strained yolks with the rice flour and 60 ml jasmine water, then whisk until the flour is fully dissolved and the mixture is homogeneous. The mixture is ready when it runs from the whisk in a smooth, unbroken thread with no visible particles.
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2
Dissolve the palm sugar in the jasmine water over moderate heat, stirring until no crystals remain. Bring to a steady simmer and maintain it throughout the entire production batch, because a syrup that cools between batches sets unevenly around the drops, leaving their surfaces dull and pitted rather than lacquered. The syrup is ready when it holds a clear, active simmer with no sign of crystallisation at the pan's edge.
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3
Fill the piping vessel — a small funnel with a controlled flow valve, or a squeeze bottle fitted with a fine tip — with the yolk mixture. Hold the vessel directly above the surface of the syrup and apply steady, unvarying pressure to pipe the mixture in a thin stream, forming circles of approximately 2 cm diameter. This is where the dish lives or dies: irregular piping pressure produces drops of inconsistent size and ragged outline that cannot be corrected once they enter the syrup.
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4
Cook the drops in the simmering syrup without disturbing them, so each drop sets symmetrically and holds the round form it was given at the moment of piping. They are done when they rise to the surface of their own accord and their upper surface is uniformly glossy and smooth.
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5
Lift each drop from the syrup with a fine skimmer and transfer to a rack, tipping it gently rather than pressing, so the still-soft surface takes no mark from the tool. Allow the drops to cool completely before handling or arranging, as they are extremely delicate when warm and will deform under any contact pressure.