Duck in Coconut Sauce; Thai style

Duck with Thai Coconut Sauce

Simple yet fresh with very fragrant flavours, this is a comfort food. 
You can prepare each part in your kitchen or even buy ready-to-eat smoked duck breast. 
Using egg noodles is my favourite, but any kind of noodles, rice vermicelli, or even pasta could work well. The clean, light flavours of the sauce should leave your palate pleased!

Will serve 4 to 6 

Preparing the Duck

Wash and score four duck breasts. Make sure only the fat is scored and not the actual meat. 
Rub in some salt, gently massaging it in.

You may roast, grill, or sear the duck breasts in the following ways: 

Roasting 

Preheat the oven to 170C|350F. Roast it for 30 minutes with the fat-side up, until the skin is a golden brown. Testing it with a wooden skewer ensures the duck is cooked. 

Grilling

If grilling, cook duck fat-side down for 10 minutes on a medium flame, and then turn it around for another 7 minutes. 

Searing

If searing in a pan, no oil is necessary. Heat the pan and sear fat-side down for 10 minutes on a medium flame, and then on the other side for another 7 minutes. 

For any of the methods, after cooking it, remove it and allow it to rest for 10 minutes, sliced and added to the sauce to infuse for 4 hours and up to 48 hours.

Coconut Sauce

In a pan bring to a boil

2 cups chicken stock

400ml/ 14 oz coconut milk

4 lemon grass stalks, crushed with the back of a knife

1 tsp galangal or fresh ginger root, cut

4 stalks coriander root

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 Thai red chilli bird, finely chopped
6 leaves Thai basil, purple or green, torn apart. 
Add the infusion at the end. 4 kaffir lime leaves, dry or fresh

This is best served with egg noodles ( or any noodles) that have been cooked as per instructions. Drain the water, and pour all the coconut sauce over it. Submerge all the noodles properly, allowing the sliced duck to sit over them. For 20 minutes, cover and infuse. Reheat gently and serve.

Tips

While the sauce is meant to be thin, the starch from the noodles will help thicken it. 
If you prefer it to "coat the back of your spoon," mix until smooth 2 tsp of cornstarch in a bowl with tap water and add it to the sauce. Allow it to boil for a minute and it will be ready. 

The combination of the above ingredients is now available in boxes called Aromatic Thai Fragrant Spices. If using the prepared dry spices, add 4 tbsp to this quantity.  
However, you will still need to add fresh or dry Kaffir lime leaves and an inch of fresh ginger when you add the noodles to infuse for a perfect finish. 

While boiling the noodles, add a stalk of lemon grass, freshly grated lemon peel, salt, and oil. This gives the noodles a wonderful burst of flavour.

If you prefer to serve this with sticky coconut rice: you may need to thicken the sauce by boiling it further to reduce the liquid. 

Other noodles you may like to try are udon, soba, quinoa, or rice vermicelli. 

Adding 4 tbsp of Thai Nam Pla/fish sauce can make the flavour stronger.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Readers Comments
2nd April 2017

Nerina Shroff Thanks Niloufer Mavalvala. Made this for dinner tonight. Turned out yum.

Coconut Rice

Copra na Chawal | Coconut Rice

Flaky coconut rice is the perfect combination with so many delicious recipes. Rogan josh, caldin, badami chicken. Curries that can be Indian or Thai, light or creamy, all pair well. This fragrant rice tastes perfect with chicken, fish, prawns, and meat. A delectable option for both vegetarians and vegans alike, it's simple to make; keep it sticky or flaky; the choice is yours. 

A cup of green peas can give it a fresh burst of colour and sweetness.

Flaky coconut rice prepared in coconut water and flash frozen fresh coconut

Serves 6

3 tbsp oil

3 tbsp grated coconut (fresh or frozen)

1 cinnamon stick
3 pods green cardamom

½ tsp turmeric

2 cups washed rice

1 ½ tsp salt

1 cup coconut water

2 cups coconut milk

 

In a pan, heat the oil and add the grated coconut, cinnamon, and turmeric. Sauté for a minute and add the rice, salt, and all the liquids. Boil until the top of the rice shows. Cover tightly, lower the heat, and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and flaky.

Tips

The oil is an option to keep the grains of rice individual and to allow the coconut and spices to toast. You may reduce or omit it.

If you like the rice light and not sticky, add 4 cups of coconut water instead of any other liquid. Adding the coconut milk makes it stickier, but the flavours are bolder.

A touch of coconut vinegar will add a touch of sparkle to the coconut rice. A tablespoon would be enough in the quantity and should be added just before you cover the pot and reduce the heat so the acidity of the vinegar does not hamper the cooking of the rice.

Starting off the rice with coconut oil is also a good idea. It will add to the "pungency" of the coconut flavour. My suggestion is a combination of coconut oil and coconut water to keep that fine balance.

Adding spices like 3 kaffir lime leaves, 6 curry leaves/patta, zest of 1 lime, 8 cloves, or 1 tsp of mustard seeds are all suggestions that complement this dish. Pick your favourites and match them to the curry or stew you plan on serving with this rice.

Some suggestions to serve up this rice with are: Machi no Rus, Tarkari ni Curry, and Dahi ni Kudhee.

Caldin

Coconut Fish Curry

Potato and Chicken Rus/Gravy

Chicken Saag

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

coconut lime ice cream

Coconut Lime Ice Cream

Old friends visiting us one summer requested me to cook them dinner. I decided to experiment with some favourites and ended up preparing this recipe. The ice cream ended up being the highlight of the evening, which I have decided to include and share with everyone. Fresh coconut and Lime ice cream topped with fresh coconut slices and lime.

Makes 2 litre/quart

2 cups whole milk

1 cup condensed milk

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

Zest of 1 lime

4 tbsp fresh lime juice or to taste

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 1/2 cups fresh grated coconut, or flash frozen pre-packaged

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp cardamom powder

2 tbsp rose water

2 cups chilled full cream

Heat all the 3 milk's' with the sugar. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the coconut and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for an hour. It will become thick and have a creamy coloured hue. 

Cool completely. Flavour by adding the salt, cardamom, vanilla, rosewater and fresh lime juice. Add the cream. Taste to adjust the lime flavour.

Cover the pot and chill for 24 hours. Churn in the ice cream maker. Serve it while soft and fresh.

Tips

Use the frozen packets of grated fresh coconut available in Indian stores and the flesh is fairly moist. Desiccated, sweet or unsweetened coconut flakes from the baking section is not a substitute. Grinding your own fresh coconut is the only other alternate for this recipe.

The measurements for the condensed milk and evaporated milk is approximate. Both are the exact amounts available in the average sized cans available worldwide.

Ice cream makers are the best, but if you don’t have one mix it from time to time rather vigorously while it is setting in the freezer. Cover tightly to prevent crystallization. Eat it when it is not hard as ice but softly chilled like a mousse.

Serve it on a half pineapple bed for your next party!

To read about an ancient cuisine you can purchase my cookbooks called The World of Parsi Cooking; Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.  

  For more recipes from Indo-Persian influences try my e-cookbook 
Niloufer's Kitchen: Persian Fusion