Red duck curry with cherry tomatoes and pineapple

Ingredients

2 x 225g duck breasts with skin
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp light muscovado sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
8 fresh kaffir lime leaves (optional)
12 vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp coconut cream
200g fresh pineapple pieces
15g fresh basil leaves

For the curry paste

1 dried red kashmiri chilli
1 medium-hot red chilli, chopped
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 lemongrass stalk, core chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
Pinch each ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper
½ tsp sweet paprika

Ingredients

2 x 225g duck breasts with skin
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp light muscovado sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
8 fresh kaffir lime leaves (optional)
12 vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp coconut cream
200g fresh pineapple pieces
15g fresh basil leaves

For the curry paste

1 dried red kashmiri chilli
1 medium-hot red chilli, chopped
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 lemongrass stalk, core chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
Pinch each ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper
½ tsp sweet paprika

Method

For the paste, soak the dried chilli in a small bowl of water for 30 minutes. Put it with 2 tbsp of the soaking water and the remaining paste ingredients, in a mini food processor. Blend to a paste.
Heat a dry, heavy-based sauté pan over a high heat. Season the duck breasts and fry for 4-5 minutes each side. Remove the skins and thinly slice.
Wipe the pan, add the oil and place over a high heat. Add the paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add 100ml water, the sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, lime leaves (if using), tomatoes and 2 tbsp coconut cream. Cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in the pineapple and duck, and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the basil and remaining coconut cream, then serve with steamed rice.

Method

For the paste, soak the dried chilli in a small bowl of water for 30 minutes. Put it with 2 tbsp of the soaking water and the remaining paste ingredients, in a mini food processor. Blend to a paste.
Heat a dry, heavy-based sauté pan over a high heat. Season the duck breasts and fry for 4-5 minutes each side. Remove the skins and thinly slice.
Wipe the pan, add the oil and place over a high heat. Add the paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add 100ml water, the sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, lime leaves (if using), tomatoes and 2 tbsp coconut cream. Cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in the pineapple and duck, and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the basil and remaining coconut cream, then serve with steamed rice.

delicious. tips

Duck is often thought of as a fatty bird, but trimmed of visible fat and skin it contains around the same amount of calories and fat as lean roast lamb, but has more iron. It’s a good source of the mineral selenium, which is essential to the immune system. To retain moisture and flavour, cook duck with the skin on but remove it before eating.

Subscribe

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine