My Plate: Red Duck Curry with Lychees and Sticky Rice

I was inspired to cook this dish for a mini dinner party (AKA me and a friend) the other night.  I had this dish on my list of must do's for awhile now and I knew it would be a perfect meal for the two of us, especially as it's getting a little cooler now.

I headed to Hurstville and decided to by half a roast duck from Mr Chao BBQ Meats on Forest Rd.  They had a window full of succulent, crispy, shiny skinned birds hanging in the window and a steady flow of customers out the door. Always a good sign!

Mr Chao BBQ Meats

 

A half duck is $14 (whole is $27) and you can have this prechopped (for ease) or not.  I opted not to so that I could have a go with my new meat cleaver at home!

I prepared all my ingredients before my friend arrived so all I had to do (after a bottle of Verve Cliquot and well into a bottle of Pinot Gris) was cook it.  Taste testing the balance of flavours was comical as I hadn't used all the coconut milk and cream and a my friend took a taste he nearly keeled over from the chilli burn....so I threw in the remaining coconut milk, some more sugar.  Once I added the tomatoes and lychees the flavours mellowed (although still had a kick that a red curry should have!)

I was super impressed with myself and the balance of flavours and the flavourful duck made for an elegant dinner....certainly will be adding this to the repetoire!

Red Curry Roast Duck with Lychees

Sticky Rice

This recipe was from a cookbook called The Food of Thailand.

Ingredients

1/2 chinese roast duck (chopped)
2 tbs red curry paste (I always use Maseri brand)
60ml coconut cream
440ml coconut milk
handful of cherry tomotoes
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs fish sauce
7 kaffir lime leaves (sliced finely)
1 tin of lychees
handful of Thai Basil leaves

Method

Add coconut cream to wok and heat through until cream starts to seperate, about 5 minutes
Add red curry paste and mix through, simmer for about 2-3 minutes
Add coconut milk, fish sauce and brown sugar
Add duck
Add lychees and tomoatoes
Add lime leaf
(taste and add more fish sauce or sugar to balance the flavours)

Sticky Rice
2 cups of glutinous rice
Add rice to bowl and cover with cold water (about 5 cm above rice) and soak overnight
line a bamboo steamer with muslin cloth
drain rice and add to steamer
Bring saucepan of water to the boil and turn to simmer, place bamboo steamer over saucepan and steam rice for approx 35-40 minutes (or until cooked through).  Remember to check the water level and top up if boiling dry.  The rice will have an opaqueness to it  and not be gluggy.