Thai Crimson Duck Curry – RecipeTin Eats

There’s one thing magical concerning the mixture of wealthy duck meat and Thai pink curry! This duck curry recipe options duck breast with golden pores and skin served in a coconut pink curry sauce. Add lychees or pineapples for a really particular dish that’s to die for!

* THAT IS NOT A PRAWN/SHRIMP within the picture! It’s the opening in a lychee the place the seed was eliminated! 😂 *

Thai pink duck curry

I not too long ago loved a lovely Thai pink duck curry at one among my favorite Thai eating places right here in Sydney, Khao Pla in Chatswood, and it impressed me to make my very own. The wealthy flavour of duck meat, with the pink curry sauce, the burst of candy juice from the lychees and freshness from the herbs is a type of consuming experiences that I hope everybody tries not less than as soon as of their life!

Plus, as a lot as I really like my dependable Rooster Crimson Curry, duck is particular. I’ve all the time considered it as a luxurious merchandise and I really like that duck meat is extra readily accessible at grocery retailer nowadays. Whereas it’s dearer than hen, making Duck Curry at residence prices, by tough calculations, round 70% cheaper than at a pleasant Thai restaurant the place small bowl can fetch upwards of $30.

Substances in Thai Crimson Duck Curry

Right here’s what you could make duck curry. This recipe requires 3 duck breasts totalling 500g/1 lb which makes sufficient curry to serve 4 to five individuals.

1. Duck breast

I’ve eaten and seen duck curry recipes made with all kinds of cuts – entire duck, Marylands (thigh and bone) and breast. Some recipe begin with a cooked Chinese language BBQ duck whereas others use a confit methodology, and a few steam/roast/then fry the duck.

I’ve opted for duck breast – straightforward to cook dinner, comparatively straightforward to get and since I like biting into the wealthy tender slices of duck smothered within the curry sauce.

The place to seek out duck breast – Nowadays in Australia it’s pretty widespread at massive grocery shops in addition to contemporary produce shops and butchers. Search for pores and skin on boneless breast. It prices greater than hen (~$18 for 500g / 1 lb), nevertheless it’s particular! A luxurious product reserved for Thai royalty! (So I’m advised by a Thai chef who helped out at RTM a few weeks in the past 😊)

See FAQ for different duck cuts I’ve seen used, and why I didn’t go for them for this recipe.

2. Lychees or pineapples!

To me, lychees are further particular as a result of the season is so fleeting and I really like how the pearly white balls look towards the pink curry. Nonetheless, I might by no means hesitate to make use of pineapple as an alternative – ideally contemporary, else canned.

And – tip for you – Asian branded lychees are literally very, excellent! I used to be taken without warning.

3. thai pink curry sauce

You should use do-it-yourself pink curry paste or retailer purchased, which is what I’ve opted for. If utilizing do-it-yourself, you’ll need somewhat further fish sauce (as a result of retailer purchased is effectively seasoned already).

• Crimson curry paste – It’s fairly effectively doc on this web site: Maesri is my most popular! Least expensive and most genuine flavour of manufacturers you will discover at (most) grocery shops with out digging in the dead of night corners of Asian shops. I additionally like that one can(115g / 1/2 cup) is the right quantity to make a curry utilizing 1 can of coconut milk.

  Discover it at massive grocery shops right here in Australia (Coles, Woolies, Harris Farms) and in Asian shops (it’s a staple merchandise).

• Garlic and ginger – Including these offers the shop purchased curry paste a freshness enhance to make it extra like do-it-yourself pink curry paste. It actually makes a distinction! (Be aware: ordinarily I take advantage of lemongrass however I didn’t really feel it added a lot in duck curry as a result of duck meat is richer in flavour than hen. So I ended up taking it out of the components.)

• Coconut milk – Not all coconut milk is created equal! Good ones are made with 85%+ coconut so have higher flavour. Economical ones are diluted with water. Ayam is my default (89% coconut). Full fats please! Low fats is thinner and has much less coconut flavour.

• Makrut lime leaves – For genuine Thai curry flavour. Pretty accessible nowadays at massive grocery shops and Asian shops. They freeze 100% completely which is useful. (Be aware: previously often known as kaffir lime leaves. The title has been modified attributable to racial associations.) See FAQ for makes use of for leftover lime leaves.

• Fish sauce – That is used because the salt in pink curry. Extra flavour than plain salt!

• Sugar – For the best contact of sweetness you discover in pink curry sauce.

4. herbs and beans

Thai basil is the traditional herb used for Thai cooking, however you may substitute with common basil. The beans may also be substituted with different greens – I selected it for color and form.

• Crimson chilli – For non-obligatory garnish. Use massive ones for much less warmth and small Birds Eye or Thai Chillis in case you are a spice monster (or declare you might be).

• Thai basil – A traditional contemporary herb utilized in Thai cooking, it tastes like common basil with a barely stronger aniseed and barely minty flavour. These days it’s pretty broadly obtainable in Australia in massive grocery shops and inexperienced grocers (Coles, Woolies, Harris Farms), however significantly better worth in Asian shops! Substitute with common basil (I’ve completed so and it’s nonetheless firm worthy).

• Coriander/cilantro – For garnish, Not very important!

• Inexperienced beans – I selected this as I assumed the inexperienced color would look good within the pink sauce. Snake beans (Asian lengthy beans) are additionally on level, although really, you should utilize any vegetable you need that you just assume will work with pink curry sauce. Cherry tomatoes appears widespread however I really feel like with lychees, it’s a variety of same-same shiny balls floating in a single dish!

The way to make Thai Crimson Duck Curry

This duck curry recipe is definitely very simple and has a pleasant workflow to it. When you begin cooking, you may have it on the desk in half-hour:

1. Duck breast – pan seared to render the fats and crisp the pores and skin (10 minutes), completed within the oven (8 minutes) then rested (5 minutes) earlier than slicing.

2. Crimson curry sauce – prep the components whereas the duck is within the pan (it’s fingers off), then begin the sauce and have it simmering whereas the duck is within the oven.

3. Serve – the sauce and duck needs to be prepared across the identical time, able to plate up and serve!

1. cooking the duck breast

Each duck and hen are poultry, however duck is structurally completely different. Due to this, duck breast cooked to medium uncommon is sort of a stunning steak – tender, wealthy and juicy. Then again, we’d by no means eat hen breast medium uncommon. Chewy! Rubbery!

Be aware: full duck breast cooking explanations received prolonged, so I moved it to a separate publish. I determine will probably be useful for future use! See The way to Cook dinner Duck Breast.

1. Slash pores and skin – Use a pointy knife to make 5 to six diagonal slashes throughout the pores and skin of the duck, taking care to not minimize into the pink flesh. Don’t minimize from edge-to-edge, you need the pores and skin to remain in a single piece however simply make slashes within the center.

   Then pat the pores and skin dry with paper towels and sprinkle salt and pepper on each side.

2. COLD pan with NO OIL – Don’t flip the range on but. Place the duck pores and skin facet down in an unheated oven-proof pan with none oil. The pan might be forged iron, non-stick, or a daily pan.

3. Overwhelm for flat pores and skin – Place one other pan on high of the duck to weigh it down, not a forged iron one although, it’s somewhat too heavy. That is to stop the pores and skin from curling and wrinkling.

4. Cook dinner on low 10 minutes – Now you may flip the range on! Low if it’s a powerful range, or medium low if it’s a weak burner. The extra slowly you cook dinner the duck, the extra fats you’ll render out which suggests crispier pores and skin. It’s low upkeep too, as a result of it’s low warmth.

5. Fats begins to render – After a couple of minutes, take a peek and also you’ll see fats has began to soften out of the duck.

6. A lot duck fats! At across the 5 to 7 minute mark, the complete pan might be coated in duck fats.

   Preserve the pan weight on till across the 7 minute mark when the pores and skin has began to go golden and has “set”. Whereas it’s nonetheless mushy, it might probably nonetheless wrinkle/curl = rubbery patches = 😭

7. Golden crispy pores and skin! Preserve cooking till the pores and skin as a result of golden and crispy, across the 10 minute mark, or longer. You’ll be able to flip the warmth up in the direction of the tip, as soon as there’s plenty of fats within the pan.

8. End in oven – When the pores and skin is golden, flip and cook dinner the flesh facet for simply 1 minute to seal. Then switch the pan to at 180°C/350°F oven (160°C fan-forced) and roast for 8 minutes or till the inner temperature is 60°C/140°F which is medium ie. gentle blush of pink. For medium uncommon (deep pink, like steak), goal for 54°C/130°F (6 minutes).

   Don’t fear if you happen to go over, duck breast is nice even totally cooked to 68°C/154.4°F (ie no pink in any respect, like hen breast). Assume – Chinese language BBQ duck. Absolutely cooked, and scrumptious!

9. Relaxation – Then place the duck on a rack set over a plate, or only a plate, and depart it uncovered to relaxation for not less than 5 minutes when you end the sauce.

10. Slice the duck breast simply shy of 5mm / 0.2″ thick. Do that simply earlier than inserting it within the curry sauce. It might relaxation for effectively past 5 minutes as a result of the flesh warms up as soon as positioned within the scorching sauce.

2. pink curry sauce

The important thing step right here is to cook dinner off the curry paste, whether or not utilizing do-it-yourself or retailer purchased. It makes an enormous distinction to enhance flavour. When you simply stir it into liquid, the flavour is so unimpressive!

1. Cook dinner off curry paste – Sauté the curry paste with the ginger and garlic for 4 to five minutes over medium warmth. The curry paste might be fairly moist at first however will dry out and deepen in color which improves the flavour of the curry sauce.

2. Sauce – Add the hen inventory first and simmer to scale back by half. Then add the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar and lime leaves (crush in fingers to launch flavour). Stir to mix then simmer for two minutes.

3. Inexperienced beans (or different veg) – Add the beans and simmer for 3 minutes till they’re nearly tender. (If utilizing different greens, add them in primarily based on the cook dinner time).

4. Lychees or pineapples – Then stir the lychees or pineapple in and simmer for simply 1 minute simply to heat it although somewhat than cook dinner it till mushy. And simply earlier than serving, stir the Thai Basil leaves in (it wilts rapidly and, like common basil, darkens in color with extended publicity to warmth).

5. Plating up – Although we’re not aiming for tremendous crispy duck pores and skin on this dish, I nonetheless prefer to serve it with many of the pores and skin above the sauce line as a result of it will get much less soggy than stirring it although. Visible objective as effectively.

   So I put a little bit of sauce within the base of a serving bowl then lay the duck breast on high, fanning the slices out barely to show the gorgeous pink flesh. Then I spoon the remainder of the curry sauce, lychees and many others across the duck breast. Or, I gently place the sliced duck into the pan with the sauce in it, as pictured beneath.

6. Garnishes and serve! As with many South East Asian dishes, garnishes not solely add beautiful color but additionally further flavour! Further Thai basil, coriander/cilantro and slices of pink chilli.

Take a look at it. It’s so stunning! A riot of color, the unmissable pearly balls for lychees, the golden duck pores and skin peeking out above the pink coconut curry sauce, and the trace of pink flesh on present which screams “I’m so tender and juicy, no dry duck right here!!”.

Take it to the desk with pleasure together with jasmine rice that you just steamed earlier (regardless of a sure meals blogger not together with that instruction as step 1). Gesture grandly* and stand again for a second to offer your viewers time to reward and lavish you with exclamations of appreciation earlier than graciously permitting individuals to dig in! – Nagi x

* In case you are extra mature than me, you may skip this half.

PS See FAQ beneath for steered sides to finish a Thai menu!

Watch how you can make it

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Thai pink duck curry

Creator: Nagi

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook dinner: 30 minutes minutes

Essential

Thai

Servings4 – 5 as a primary

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. There’s one thing magical concerning the mixture of wealthy duck meat and Thai pink curry! This duck curry recipe options duck breast with golden pores and skin that is thickly sliced and served in a coconut pink curry sauce. Add lychees or pineapples for a really particular dish that is to die for!Be aware: the duck pores and skin would not keep tremendous crispy given the saucy surroundings it results in. I prefer to serve the duck with many of the pores and skin above the sauce line so it would not go fully soggy, although if that does not trouble you it is also good to stir the duck slices all through the sauce. Your alternative!

Substances

CupsMetric

Lychees or pineapple – CHOOSE ONE:

Cook dinner ModeForestall display from sleeping

Directions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE:

• Slash duck pores and skin, season. Chilly pan, no oil, 10 min medium low (crush duck) till golden. Reserve 3 tbsp fats. End in oven 8 min (goal 60°C/140°F, medium), relaxation. Sauté curry paste in duck fats with garlic and ginger, add inventory, cut back by half, add coconut, fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves, simmer 2 min. Add beans, simmer 3 min, add lychees or pineapple, simmer 2 min. Slice duck, serve!

Crispy golden duck breast:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).

• Rating – Sprinkle half the salt and pepper on the flesh of the duck. Flip. Use a pointy knife to make 5 or 6 diagonal scores on the pores and skin of the breast. Do not pierce the flesh and do not minimize all the way in which to the sting of the pores and skin (Be aware 8). Pat the pores and skin dry with paper towels, sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.

• Chilly pan, no oil – Do not flip the range on but. Use an oven-proof pan (any sort). Place the duck pores and skin facet down within the chilly pan, no oil required. Place one other pan on high to evenly weigh the duck down (retains pores and skin flat).

• Cook dinner 10 minutes – Flip the range onto medium low. Cook dinner for 10 minutes or till the pores and skin is golden and crispy. Fats will soften out of the duck pores and skin and it’ll cook dinner in its personal fats. (Be aware 8)

• Reserve duck fats – Pour off 2 to three tablespoons of the duck fats into the pan you’ll use to make the curry sauce.

• Oven 8 minutes – As soon as the pores and skin is crispy, flip and cook dinner the flesh facet for 1 minute. Then switch the pan to the oven for 8 minutes or till the inner temperature is 60°C/140°F (medium, Be aware 9)

• Relaxation – Switch to a rack or plate and relaxation for five minutes till able to assemble the curry.

Thai pink curry sauce:

• Sauté curry paste – Warmth the duck fats (from step 6 above) on medium warmth in a deep skillet. Cook dinner the curry paste, garlic and ginger for 4 to five minutes. It should dry out and darken in color, and considerably improves the flavour (particularly retailer purchased, however even do-it-yourself).

• Sauce – Add hen inventory, stir, then simmer quickly to scale back by half (2 -3 minutes). Stir in coconut milk, hand-crushed kaffir lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce. Simmer gently on medium for two minutes.

• Add ins – Add the beans, simmer for 3 minutes till simply cooked. Add the lychees or pineapple, simmer 1 minute. Style and add a tad further fish sauce if it wants salt.

Assemble:

• Spoon some sauce in to cowl the bottom of a big deep platter or huge bowl.

• Slice duck breast, simply shy of 5mm / 0.2″ thick. Place on the sauce, fanning it out barely to show the pink flesh.

• Remaining sauce – Spoon the remaining sauce, lychees and many others across the duck, avoiding the duck pores and skin.

• Garnish with Thai basil leaves, coriander, chilli and lime wedges.

• Serve – Take to the desk with flourish and serve with jasmine rice!

Recipe Notes:

Recipe primarily based on my Thai Crimson Curry recipe, impressed by Khao Pla’s Duck Curry and the Thai Crimson Duck Curry with Lychees in Tony Tan’s stunning new cookbook Tony Tan’s Asian Cooking Class.

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1. Duck breast – Pretty available at massive grocery shops nowadays, plus butchers. Additionally see How To Cook dinner Duck Breast for extra detailed data on the why of the duck breast cooking methodology.
2. Curry paste – My place on the perfect retailer purchased Thai pink curry is pretty effectively documented on this web site! Maesri is the perfect – there’s simply no query, not less than, for available ones. Discover it at Woolies, Harris Farms, Asian shops and on-line (Australia). (Abroad – Amazon and Asian shops).
3. Grating – Use a microplane or just like grate it finely so it mixes in very well with the curry paste. Spruces up retailer purchased paste to make it style like do-it-yourself.
4. Coconut milk – Not all coconut milk is created equal! Good ones are made with 85%+ coconut so have higher flavour. Economical ones are diluted with water. Ayam is my default (89% coconut). Full fats please! Low fats is thinner and has much less coconut flavour.
5. Makrut lime leaves (see in publish for former title) – pretty accessible nowadays at massive grocery shops and Asian shops. They freeze 100% completely. See FAQ for makes use of for leftover lime leaves (I’ve a good few!)
6. Thai Basil has a slight aniseed flavour. Signature herb for Thai pink curry so attempt to not skip it. Italian basil can be utilized as a really respectable substitute – I typically do!
7. Canned lychees and pineapples are completely acceptable if you happen to get a superb model. Asian canned lychees are fairly good, in my view.
8. Duck suggestions – Slashing pores and skin lets fats render out for higher crispy pores and skin. Keep away from chopping the flesh – if you happen to do, juice will come out and the pores and skin gained’t be totally crisp. Don’t slash pores and skin all the way in which to the sting, preserve it in a single piece (see pictures in publish). In case your duck has a very thick layer of fats (some American breeds do), rating diagonally – further slashes = extra fats comes out.
Cooking on low warmth = extra fats renders out = crispier pores and skin + much less fats in finish dish (an excessive amount of duck fats might be rubbery and too fatty). So don’t rush this step!
9. Duck doneness – Medium is my most popular for curry, gentle blushing pink, tender and juicy. You’ll be able to go as little as medium uncommon (assume – steak!) – inside temperature X. Don’t fret if you happen to go over – duck breast remains to be nice even totally cooked at X.
Leftovers will preserve for 3 to 4 days within the fridge. Freezes okay! 3 months, thaw, then gently reheat.
Vitamin – calculating now!

Key phrases: duck breast recipe, duck curry, Thai pink curry

Did you make this recipe?I really like listening to the way you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Lifetime of Dozer

Dozer and I are doing a fundraiser on the native vet hospital this Sunday! It’s at SASH in Ryde (Small Animal Speciality Hospital), and it’s the vet that saved Dozer’s life this time final 12 months.

SASH reached out to ask if I’d assist increase cash for Sophie’s Legacy, a charity that goals to scale back suicide amongst veterinarians. It’s 4x the nationwide common, among the many highest suicide charges of all professions. I used to be shocked and saddened studying about it and the causes of it – lack of trade psychological well being assist, shopper abuse, overworked, understaffed and individuals who simply give a rattling a lot who see and do extra issues than you or I might ever think about. Like – placing down wholesome canines as a result of the proprietor can not afford a knee surgical procedure (this can be a robust one), or is transferring away and can’t be “bothered” to re-home their pet, or happening a protracted journey and doesn’t need to pay for boarding.

Sure, this occurs. And I’m advised that legally, a vet has to do as requested by the proprietor as a result of pets are the property of the proprietor.

As you might need guessed, Sophie’s Legacy is a charity arrange by the dad and mom of a younger veterinarian who sadly took her personal life. Their purpose is to offer psychological well being assist for vets to scale back suicide within the occupation.

Dozer and I are doing a guide signing this weekend the place attendees are making a donation for every guide signed. Sadly, the occasion crammed up too quick earlier than I used to be in a position to share it right here on my web site! Nonetheless, there’s a ready record (be a part of it right here), so I can gauge numbers for different choices.

When you can not make the occasion however want to donate you are able to do so right here – and Sophie’s household and I thanks on your generosity. You can even signal the petition right here to foyer the federal government for change.

Additionally, Dozer is donation matching – greenback for greenback, hoping to succeed in our purpose of $20,000 throughout each the SASH occasion and thru the Sophie’s Legacy donation web page. He’s utilizing his life financial savings – virtually 13 years! 🥰

Devoted to Dr. Sophie Putland, a daughter, a sister, a good friend, and a beloved vet, who tragically took her personal life in September 2021, and to all of the great devoted vets of the world who achieve this a lot to take care of our pets.