Braden Family Cookbook

Chuck Braden

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THAI RED CURRY WITH ROASTED DUCK                             Saveur 

SERVES 4 as a side, 2 as an entree 

2 1⁄2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk (Mae Ploy)
1⁄4 cup Thai red curry paste, such as Mae
   Ploy brand
1⁄2 Chinese roasted duck, cut into 2" pieces
10 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves
1 cup fresh pineapple, peeled, cored,
   and cut into 1" chunks
1 1⁄2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. Thai palm sugar
6 Thai chiles, stemmed
20 cherry tomatoes, left whole
Leaves from 10 stems basil, preferably
   Thai basil
Steamed jasmine rice 

1. Heat 1 cup of the coconut milk in a large pot over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the curry paste and continue to simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is very aromatic, about 5 minutes more. 

2. Add the cut-up duck to the curry mixture and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the duck is heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk, lime leaves, and 3⁄4 cup water. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring, until the flavors have melded, about 2 minutes. Add the pineapple, fish sauce, sugar, and chiles and continue to simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple is fork tender, about 5 minutes more. 

3. If you like, skim off and discard oil from the top of the curry. Stir in the tomatoes and the basil and simmer the curry for 1 minute more; the tomatoes and basil should retain their shape and bright color. Serve the curry with steamed jasmine rice.