Thai Duck Curry Pineapple (Printable Recipe)

Golden duck served in coconut sauce with pineapple, cherry tomatoes, plus Thai herbs, all on jasmine rice.

# Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Duck Prep

01 - Pat four boneless duck breasts very dry, skin side on
02 - Crack some black pepper on both sides, to your liking
03 - Salt as you like

→ Curry Sauce

04 - 5 rings canned golden pineapple, chop each one in four
05 - 285 g cherry tomatoes
06 - 2 kefir lime leaves, toss in if you've got them
07 - 400 ml regular coconut milk, don't go light
08 - 120 ml chicken broth, plus more if things get too thick
09 - 1 tablespoon of honey or brown or white sugar
10 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce for that classic savory note
11 - 80 ml Thai red curry paste
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chop tiny
13 - 4 garlic cloves or about 1 tablespoon garlic, minced fine

→ Garnish & Sides

14 - Fried shallots from the store
15 - Lime cut in wedges
16 - Thai chile, rough chopped
17 - A handful of cilantro, both chopped and whole sprigs
18 - Thai basil leaves
19 - Jasmine rice, already cooked

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Scoop hot jasmine rice into bowls first. Slice up the rested duck and lay on top. Pour the curry sauce and stewed fruit beside. Finish with Thai basil, cilantro, chiles, lime, and a sprinkle of crispy shallots.
02 - Taste your sauce now and tweak with a pinch of salt, extra sugar, hit of fish sauce, or more pepper if things taste flat.
03 - Add the tomatoes and quarters of pineapple. Let those bubble for about 5 more minutes until the fruit softens. Add more chicken broth if the sauce gets too thick for your style.
04 - Toss in fish sauce and sugar and mix for about a minute till it all melts together. Now pour in coconut milk, chicken broth, and those kefir lime leaves if using. Let this mixture lightly bubble for five minutes, stirring so it's blended.
05 - Keep 2 spoonfuls of duck fat in your skillet. On medium, toss in garlic and ginger to cook for 30 seconds. Spoon in the curry paste and let it sizzle for 2 minutes till the color deepens.
06 - Duck breasts, skin down, go in a cold skillet. Turn the burner to medium and let the skin get crackly golden for about 8 minutes. Press with a spatula for even browning.
07 - Slash the fat on top of each duck breast in diagonal or crisscross lines, but don't go into the meat. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over.
08 - Once the skin's perfect, pour off most of the fat but leave a little behind. Flip each breast over, then cook the other side for 5 to 7 minutes, going for your favorite doneness (about 57°C for rare, 60°C for medium, 74°C for fully cooked). Take out the duck and rest on a warm plate in a low oven.
09 - If they're frozen, thaw them out. Use paper towels to dry off each breast so you can get the skin extra crispy when cooking.

# Extra Tips:

01 - Only slice through the duck's skin and fat, not the meat under them, so the fat renders how you want.
02 - Let duck sit for a bit before cutting so it stays juicy.
03 - Taste red curry paste before using and cut back or use more coconut milk or broth if it's extra salty.
04 - Adding sugar keeps things from getting too spicy or overly savory.
05 - A splatter screen will help keep grease from flying everywhere while cooking duck.

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