MKR Recipes Episode 1: Justin and Will’s Red Duck Curry with Coconut Rice

Ingredients

4 duck breasts, skin lightly scored

Charred lime halves, to serve

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Thai basil leaves and sliced chilli, to garnish

Coconut rice

360g jasmine rice, rinsed under cold water

400ml coconut milk

250ml water

½ tsp salt

Toasted shredded coconut, to garnish

Red curry paste

4 dried chillies

1 stick lemongrass (white part only), chopped

1 tbs grated galangal

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tbs fish sauce

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbs chopped coriander stems and roots

2 eschallots, chopped

Curry

1 tbs peanut oil

1 quantity Thai red curry paste

4cm piece fresh ginger, grated

250ml chicken stock

400ml coconut milk

8 lime leaves, bruised

2 tsp white sugar

2 tsp fish sauce

120g green beans , trimmed, halved

1 cup Thai basil leaves

12 fresh lychees , peeled, seed removed

Method

1. To make coconut rice, place rinsed rice in a bowl and cover in cold water. Set aside for 1 hour to soak.
2. Meanwhile, to make curry paste, place chillies in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and reserve 60ml of the soaking water.
3. Place chillies, reserved soaking water and remaining curry paste ingredients in a processor. Process to form a fine paste.
4. Preheat oven to 200C.
5. To continue with the rice, drain it well. Transfer to a 20cm cake pan.
6. Place coconut milk, water and salt in a saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over rice and stir to combine. Cover with foil.
7. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes to steam and finish cooking. Remove foil and fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with toasted coconut to serve.
8. Meanwhile, to make curry, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry paste and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes or until aromatic and slightly darkened in colour. Add stock, coconut milk, lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce. Cover and bring to a simmer.
9. Place duck in a large cold frying pan, skin side down. Place over a medium heat and cook until skin is golden, crisp and fully rendered. Turn and cook for 1 minute. Transfer duck to an oven tray and roast for about 5 minutes or until cooked as desired. Set aside to rest, for 5 minutes. Slice thickly. Stir any juices from rested duck into curry sauce.
10. Add beans to curry sauce and simmer until tender. Stir in basil leaves and lychees.
11. Serve curry and duck with rice and lime halves. Garnish with basil leaves and chilli.

Tips

• Balance the flavour of the curry with lime juice, fish sauce and/or sugar to suit your taste.
• Exact cooking time of duck will depend on size and thickness of breasts.