Description
This Thai red duck curry offers a rich and aromatic blend of crispy duck breast cooked to medium perfection, combined with a flavorful red curry sauce made from Thai red curry paste, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, and fragrant kaffir lime leaves. Enhanced with sweet lychees or pineapple and fresh Thai basil, this dish delivers a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and aromatic notes, served alongside fluffy jasmine rice for a hearty and elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Duck
- 500g (1 lb) boneless duck breasts, skin on (3 pieces)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or finely ground black pepper)
Curry Sauce
- 115g (4 oz, 1/2 cup) Thai red curry paste
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock/broth
- 400ml (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 6 – 8 kaffir lime leaves, crushed by hand
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
Vegetables and Fruit
- 120g (4 oz) green beans, trimmed and halved
- 8 – 12 lychees, peeled and seed removed (fresh preferred, canned acceptable)
- 1 1/4 cups pineapple pieces (fresh preferred, canned acceptable)
Herbs and Garnishes
- 1 lightly packed cup Thai basil leaves (regular basil can be substituted)
- Extra Thai basil leaves for garnish
- Coriander/cilantro leaves or small sprigs (optional)
- Large red chilli, finely sliced (optional)
- Lime wedges for serving
Side
- Jasmine rice (cook 2 cups raw rice according to package instructions)
Instructions
- Score and Season Duck: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F, 160°C fan-forced). Sprinkle half the salt and pepper onto the flesh side of each duck breast. Using a sharp knife, carefully make 5 or 6 diagonal scores across the skin of the duck breast without cutting into the flesh or the edges. Pat the skin dry with paper towels, then sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper evenly over the duck skin.
- Render Duck Skin Fat: Place the duck breasts skin side down into a cold, oven-safe pan without any added oil. Place a second pan or weight on top of the duck to keep the skin flat. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, allowing the skin to become golden and crispy as the fat renders out.
- Reserve Duck Fat: Carefully pour off 2 to 3 tablespoons of the rendered duck fat from the pan into a separate skillet or pan to use later for the curry sauce.
- Finish Duck in Oven: After the skin is crispy, flip the duck breasts over and cook the flesh side for 1 minute on the stovetop. Then transfer the pan to the preheated oven and roast for 8 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 60°C (140°F) for medium doneness. Remove the duck and let it rest for 5 minutes on a rack or plate before slicing.
- Prepare Curry Sauce Base: Heat the reserved duck fat over medium heat in a deep skillet. Add the Thai red curry paste, grated garlic, and ginger, sautéing for 4 to 5 minutes until the paste darkens in color and thickens, intensifying its flavor.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine. Simmer rapidly for 2 to 3 minutes until the liquid reduces by half. Then stir in the coconut milk, crushed kaffir lime leaves, white sugar, and fish sauce. Let the sauce gently simmer for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
- Add Vegetables and Fruit: Add the green beans to the sauce and simmer for 3 minutes until just tender. Then add lychees or pineapple pieces and simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust saltiness with extra fish sauce if needed.
- Assemble the Dish: Spoon some curry sauce onto the base of a large deep platter or wide bowl. Thinly slice the rested duck breasts (about 5mm / 0.2 inch slices) and arrange them fanned out on top of the sauce, exposing the pink flesh for presentation.
- Finish and Garnish: Spoon remaining curry sauce, including lychees/pineapple and beans, around the duck slices, avoiding placing sauce directly on the crispy skin to keep it crisp. Garnish with extra Thai basil leaves, coriander/cilantro, thinly sliced red chilli if using, and lime wedges.
- Serve: Offer the Thai red duck curry immediately alongside freshly cooked jasmine rice for a complete, aromatic meal.
Notes
- Use skin-on duck breasts to get crispy skin and render flavorful fat for the curry sauce.
- If kaffir lime leaves are unavailable, substitute with lime zest but flavor will differ slightly.
- Fresh lychees provide the best texture and sweetness; canned lychees or pineapple are acceptable alternatives.
- Scoring the duck skin correctly helps render fat and crisp the skin without drying out the flesh.
- Resting the duck after roasting allows juices to redistribute, keeping the meat moist and tender.
- Adjust fish sauce quantity at the end for salt balance depending on taste preferences.
- Use an oven-proof pan for stovetop-to-oven cooking convenience.
- Medium doneness (140°F/60°C internal temperature) keeps the duck juicy but fully cooked.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: Thai duck curry, red curry duck, Thai red curry, duck breast recipe, coconut milk curry
