Duck Curry – Kaeng Phed Ped Yang

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 tbsp soy sauce, dark
• 1 tsp spice mix (five-spice powder)
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp oil, 4 Barberie duck legs, approx. 350 g each
• Curry:
• 1 roasted duck(s), approx. 2500g or 4 roasted duck legs
• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 2 tbsp curry paste, red, if you like 3-4 tbsp
• 10 kaffir lime leaves, Bai Magrood
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 150 g peas, very fine
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 red chili peppers, seedless, cut into strips
• 3 stalks of basil (Thai-Bai Hoarapha)

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

This recipe calls for a roasted duck or, as I prefer, braised marinated Barbary duck legs. It sounds very complicated, but at the end I’ll write how to make it easier. First, wash the duck legs, pat them dry, and lightly coat them with the marinade. Brown them well in a pan on the stovetop. Transfer to a roasting pan, pour over the remaining marinade, and braise in the oven at 120-130 degrees Celsius for 2.5 hours, turning twice. Remove the skin and fat, bone out the meat, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Drain the fat from the sauce and set aside. You can do all this the day before. For the curry, fry the paste in the oil over medium heat until it starts to smell. Then pour in the coconut milk and cook for a few minutes. Add the duck meat and lime leaves and cook for another 10 minutes. If the duck meat isn’t quite tender yet, cook for longer. Then add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, tomatoes, and peas, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the defatted sauce, a little at a time; the amount is a matter of taste. Season to taste with 1-2 teaspoons of sugar and more fish sauce. The amount depends on the acidity of the tomatoes and the salt content of the meat juices. Roughly tear the basil and mix in. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice, if desired. Addendum: The curry itself is very quick to prepare, but the roast duck takes time. That’s why I always roast 8 to 10 duck legs at a time and then freeze the meat and sauce in portions. The amount described above is quite generous for six people; in normal life, half is enough for the four of us, as the curry is already quite substantial. But at a party, you often need a bit more.