Preheat oven to 325.

Wash, drain and dry duckling halves. Sprinkle cavity sides evenly with salt. Place halves, skin side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Bake until meat on drumstick is tender, about 2 hours.

Prepare sauce while duckling is roasting. Peel the orange part of the rind off the orange; cut rind in very thin strips 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. Cover with boiling water; simmer 15 minutes. Drain well.

Peel and section orange, removing all membrane; set aside. Combine orange juice, currant jelly, water, and cornstarch; blend until free of cornstarch lumps. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened.

Add orange strips. Brush sauce over duckling several times during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Stir orange sections and almond into the hot rice. Serve rice with duckling halves and remaining sauce.