This recipe is an easy-peasy Thai-style duck curry. I say “Thai style” because duck curry doesn’t really have a standardized recipe or way to make it. If you have duck curry anywhere in Thailand or in any Thai restaurant, the recipe is likely to vary greatly. Many duck curry recipes will include pineapple to help cut the richness. Unfortunately, I absolutely hate pineapple (overdosed as a child and now I can’t stand it); it’s right next to tofu on the “I hate” list. So here we are, a duck curry recipe sans pineapple that I can enjoy in peace.
In making the curry paste, this recipe gives you the shortcut method of using a blender (a common cheat my mom used to always use). Just make sure you add a little liquid (either some of the coconut cream or water) to help get it blended. If you want to go old school, you can pound the ingredients in a mortar and pestle to make the curry paste. One day I may just do that for giggles. But today, it’s close to dinner time and I have hungry mouths to feed, so shortcut it is. The other obvious shortcut is to use pre-cooked roast duck or BBQ duck. Many Chinese restaurants sell roast duck (already lovingly chopped up for you) in either half or whole serving. This recipe uses a whole duck. If you are averse to meat with bones in them, then this dish may not be for you (ahem, you know who you are my friends 😆 ).
Now the chilies … let’s talk chilies. This is not a spicy curry. It’s similar to Penang curry, which the base of coconut cream and peanuts will result in a rich, creamy, savory sauce that makes it hard to be spicy, no matter how many chilies you use. I mean you can try, but it will take a lot of chilies.
The only thing you really need to watch is the salt (in this case fish sauce). Since you are buying the duck, it will already be salty. How salty it is will vary depending on where you get it from. So make sure you don’t oversalt too early. Taste for salt at the end after you’ve added the duck (and the accumulated juices) and adjust accordingly.
Last thing – making curry paste is an art, not a science. It’s all about approximations, which might explain why I’ve never bothered writing down this recipe. I’ve never seen anyone in my family measure anything when making curry paste. So keep that in mind as you gather your ingredients; a little over or under, here or there is not going to ruin anything.
Enjoy!
Duck Curry
Ingredients
Curry Paste
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground corriander
- 1/4 cup chopped lemon grass
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp shrimp paste
- 5-10 Thai chilis, see notes
- 3 tbsp lime juice, see notes
- 1/3 cup cilantro stems
- 3 tbsp shallots, coarsley chopped
- 2 tbsp galangal, chopped
Other Ingredients
- 3 cups coconut cream, see note
- 1-2 tbsp fish sauce, see note
- 1-2 tbsp palm sugar, see note
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 whole Chinese roast duck, chopped
- handful of chopped cilantro
How I Make It
- Make a curry paste by combining all the curry paste ingredients. You can do this in a mortar and pestal or blender. If using a blender, you will need to add some liquid to help it blend. You can add some of the coconut milk or water.
- In a large sauce pan or pot, cook the curry paste on medium heat for a minute or so. Be careful not to let it burn. Add coconut cream, sugar, fish sauce, water.
- Add all the duck pieces (plus any accumulated juices) and cilantro. Let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes. This is to let all the flavors come together as the duck is already cooked.
- Taste and adjust for salt, sugar, or lime. Top with extra cilantro before serving.
Notes
- You don't have to be precise with the amount of ingredients. Curry is all about approximations. Don't worry if you are a little over or under on each ingredient.
- Coconut cream can be substituted with coconut milk. Coconut cream is richer than coconut milk. If you want a less rich sauce, use coconut milk or add a little more water to dilute the coconut cream.
- Palm sugar can be substituted with light brown sugar, just add slowly and taste as you go, since the sweetness of the sugar may be different.
- The amount of chilies is up to you. You can use red or green chilies or both. This is a mild curry (like penang curry); the coconut cream and peanut base will keep the spiciness at bay, and can handle a lot of chilies.
- The duck will add salt to the dish; so go easy on the fish sauce in the beginning and adjust at the end if needed.
- Lime juice gives this dish the acidity it needs to balance the richness that comes from both the duck and coconut. Many duck curries will use pineapple for this, but since I hate pineapple, lime does the trick. You can try pineapple, or combo pineapple and lime; adjust the acidity to your preference!
