Duck Curry with Cherry Tomatoes & Pineapple (Thai Delicacies) 

Make Thai Pink Curry Duck at Dwelling—Tastes Like Takeout (However Higher!)

After I spent a month in Thailand a number of years in the past (you’ll be able to learn all about my adventures right here), duck curry rapidly grew to become my absolute favourite dish. Ever since, it is the one factor I all the time must order each time I go to a Thai restaurant. It’s surprisingly straightforward to make at house—particularly with my rigorously examined, foolproof recipe. Listed below are the important thing highlights that make my recipe stand out from the group:

• Crispy Duck Like a Professional: Many recipes skip the crispy-skin method or depend on pre-cooked duck — however I’ll present you methods to make the true factor from scratch, begin to end. My pan-searing methodology ensures ultra-crispy pores and skin, no restaurant wanted. Bonus: you should utilize this system for any duck breast recipe, not simply purple curry duck.
• Genuine Thai Flavors: This recipe sticks near what I ate in Thailand — utilizing actual Thai purple curry paste, fish sauce, Thai basil, and elective kaffir lime leaves. I additionally present tips about methods to substitute all the things with simply accessible options.
• Straightforward, Restaurant-Worthy: It’s surprisingly doable at house in simply 40 minutes. (Howdy, your new favourite weeknight meal!) And actually? It tastes higher than most duck curries I’ve had at eating places. If I need to impress my household and friends, I additionally love making my Thai coconut curry salmon and creamy Thai shrimp soup.
• Duck Fats = Liquid Gold: I reserve some duck fats from searing to sauté the garlic, ginger, and curry paste — it offers the sauce unimaginable richness and depth you received’t get with oil alone.
• Creamy coconut broth: I make the purple coconut curry broth from scratch utilizing garlic, ginger, fish sauce, sugar, rooster broth, and coconut milk, with store-bought purple curry paste—Thai Kitchen is my go-to for its gentle warmth and genuine taste. My favourite half? Including cherry tomatoes and pineapple on the finish for the right sweet-tangy end!
• Garnish Recreation Sturdy: I serve coconut curry duck over jasmine rice and high it with Thai basil, cilantro, contemporary chiles, lime wedges, and crispy fried shallots — it’s colourful, aromatic, and stuffed with texture.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Boneless Pores and skin-On Hen: In the event you favor rooster to duck, be at liberty to swap them out utilizing both boneless skin-on rooster breast or thigh. Prepare dinner in the identical method because the duck breast however decrease the period of time you prepare dinner both sides. 
• Different Proteins: This dish can be scrumptious with a wonderfully seared steak so go forward and swap the duck breast if you happen to like. You too can use salmon or shrimp. Oh wait, I’ve already made these recipes! Try my Thai-inspired coconut curry salmon and banana coconut curry shrimp.
• Pink Curry Paste: My private favourite model is Thai Kitchen. The principle motive I like it is that it has a milder spice degree, so it would not overpower the dish with an excessive amount of warmth. It is made with components like lemongrass, garlic, and purple chilies, giving it an unimaginable taste. I exploit it in all my Thai-inspired recipes, like this purple curry rooster noodle soup or this fan-favorite Thai shrimp coconut soup.
• Sugar: You should utilize coconut sugar, brown sugar, or rock sugar. I don’t advocate synthetic sweeteners, honey, or agave as it would fully inhibit the flavour of the curry paste and duck.
• Kefir Lime: This can be a troublesome ingredient to find, so if it’s not accessible in your space you’ll be able to omit it.
• Tomatoes: If cherry tomatoes usually are not accessible, you’ll be able to substitute them for any very agency, underripe tomato. Slice every tomato into the dimensions of a cherry tomato earlier than inserting it into the curry sauce.
• Contemporary Pineapple: You might be greater than welcome to make use of contemporary pineapple! If utilizing rather than canned, make certain to trim the pores and skin, take away the core, and lower into quartered slices. Use about ¼ of a contemporary pineapple to switch the canned pineapple/
• Rice and Noodles: This dish works nicely with different lengthy grain rice reminiscent of basmati, wild, or brown! I additionally love serving duck curry over rice noodles!
• Basil: You should utilize Italian basil if Thai isn’t accessible.
• Fried Onions: Exchange the fried shallots with fried onions if you happen to favor!
• Coconut Milk: You possibly can completely make this with a low fats can of coconut milk as a substitute of the total fats. The consistency of your curry can be a bit extra watery however nonetheless very tasty! 
• Professional tip 🙂 : The photograph under reveals each single ingredient you’ll want—go forward and screenshot it on your procuring record!

Learn how to Make Thai Pink Curry Duck (Step-by-Step)

Heads up: Right here’s a fast step-by-step preview of the recipe with useful photographs! For the total directions and particulars, scroll right down to the recipe card under.

• Begin by scoring the pores and skin of the duck breasts and seasoning each side with salt and pepper.
• Prepare dinner the duck breasts over medium warmth skin-side down in a chilly skillet, uncovered for about 8 minutes till the pores and skin is crisp and browned. Press gently with a spatula for even searing. Tip: Use a splatter display to scale back mess with out trapping steam. Take away most of duck fats to a heatproof container at this level.
• Flip and prepare dinner the opposite facet for about 5-7 minutes till the inner temperature reaches your most popular doneness (135°F for medium-rare, 165°F for well-done). Switch the duck to a heat oven to relaxation.

• Make broth base: Reserve 2 tablespoons of duck fats within the pan. Sauté garlic and ginger briefly, then add Thai purple curry paste and prepare dinner till aromatic.
• Stir in fish sauce and sugar, and blend it in.

• Make purple curry coconut broth: Add rooster broth, coconut milk and kefir lime leaves, and simmer for a couple of minutes on medium warmth.
• Add cherry tomatoes and pineapple, cooking simply till softened. Alter seasoning to style.

• To serve, spoon the curry over jasmine rice, high with sliced duck, and garnish with Thai basil, cilantro, chilies, lime wedges, and crispy shallots.

Variations

• Inexperienced Curry: I typically swap purple curry for inexperienced and love the outcomes. Pink curry paste is made with purple chilies, whereas inexperienced curry makes use of inexperienced chilies together with herbs like cilantro, Thai basil, and kaffir lime leaves. I discover inexperienced curry to be brisker and spicier, with a vivid, natural taste, whereas purple curry feels cozier and a bit bolder.
• Vegetarian: You can also make onerous boiled eggs, use tofu, or add extra veggies to switch the duck breasts! Omit the fish sauce and exchange the rooster broth with veggie broth as nicely.

Storage Ideas

• Fridge: You possibly can retailer the cooled curry and duck in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days within the fridge. I like to recommend storing the rice individually so it doesn’t soak up all the curry.
• To freeze, place in an hermetic freezer protected container. It will probably stay frozen for as much as 2 months.

Extra Thai-Impressed Recipes

• Pink Curry Banana Coconut Shrimp
• Thai Pink Curry Hen Noodle Soup
• Thai Basil Beef
• Thai Coconut Curry Salmon
• Thai Shrimp Coconut Soup