Duck Curry Cherry Pineapple Thai (Print-Friendly Version)

Seared duck in coconut curry with pineapple, cherry tomatoes, and Thai herbs, served over jasmine rice.

# What You Need:

→ Duck Preparation

01 - 4 boneless skin-on duck breasts, thoroughly patted dry
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Curry Sauce

04 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced, or 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 80 ml Thai red curry paste
07 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon sugar (white, brown, or honey)
09 - 120 ml chicken broth, plus extra if needed
10 - 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
11 - 2 kefir lime leaves (optional)
12 - 285 g cherry tomatoes
13 - 5 rings canned golden pineapple, quartered

→ For Serving and Garnish

14 - Jasmine rice, cooked
15 - Thai basil leaves
16 - Cilantro, chopped and sprigs
17 - Thai chile, roughly chopped
18 - Lime wedges
19 - Fried shallots, store-bought

# How to Make It:

01 - Thaw duck breasts completely if frozen. Pat them very dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning.
02 - With a sharp knife, score the skin of each duck breast in diagonal or crosshatch lines, slicing just through the fat layer but not into the meat. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
03 - Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, heavy-bottomed oven-safe skillet. Set heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 8 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden brown. Gently press with a spatula for even contact.
04 - After skin is crisp, pour off excess fat, leaving a thin coating in the pan. Flip the duck breasts and sear the flesh side for 5–7 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness (57°C for medium-rare, 60°C for medium, 74°C for well-done). Transfer duck to a warmed plate and rest in a low oven.
05 - Retain 2 tablespoons duck fat in the skillet. Over medium heat, sauté minced garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the Thai red curry paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the paste deepens in color.
06 - Add fish sauce and sugar to the pan. Cook for 1 minute until sugar is dissolved. Pour in chicken broth, coconut milk, and kefir lime leaves (if using). Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring well to integrate.
07 - Add cherry tomatoes and quartered pineapple. Simmer an additional 5 minutes until fruit is softened but not broken down. If sauce thickens too much, incorporate a splash of chicken broth to adjust consistency.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, fish sauce, or sugar as needed to balance flavors.
09 - Spoon hot jasmine rice into serving bowls. Slice rested duck breasts and arrange over rice. Ladle curry sauce and fruit alongside. Garnish with Thai basil, chopped cilantro, Thai chiles, lime wedges, and crispy fried shallots.

# Important Notes:

01 - When scoring duck skin, avoid cutting too deeply to keep the fat intact for proper rendering.
02 - Allow duck to rest before slicing to preserve juiciness.
03 - Taste curry paste ahead of time and adjust quantity if especially salty; dilute with extra coconut milk or broth if necessary.
04 - The inclusion of sugar balances the savory and spicy notes.
05 - A splatter screen is useful when rendering duck fat to minimize mess.

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