Duck Curry
This mild, Thai-style duck curry is delicious and much easier than it seems! BBQ duck from your local Chinese restaurant makes this recipe quick and approachable for anyone who enjoys duck but hate preparing it.
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Servings: 6
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!