Description
Crispy-skinned duck breasts sliced over a rich, fragrant Thai red curry simmered with coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, green beans, and your choice of sweet lychees or tangy pineapple, served with jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g / 1 lb duck breasts, boneless, skin on (3 pieces)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or finely ground black pepper)
- 115g / 4 oz (1/2 cup) Thai red curry paste (Maesri recommended or homemade)
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 cup chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 400ml / 14 oz coconut milk, full fat
- 6–8 makrut lime leaves, lightly crushed
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 120g / 4 oz green beans, trimmed and halved
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves (or regular basil)
- 8–12 lychees, peeled and seeded OR 1 1/4 cups pineapple pieces
- Cooked jasmine rice (2 cups raw rice)
- Extra Thai basil leaves, for garnish
- Cilantro sprigs (optional)
- Fresh red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
- Score the duck skin diagonally without cutting into the flesh. Pat dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold oven-proof skillet. Weigh them down lightly with another pan.
- Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes until skin is golden and crispy, rendering the fat. Reserve 2–3 tbsp of duck fat.
- Flip duck and sear flesh side for 1 minute. Transfer skillet to oven and roast for 8 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 60°C/140°F for medium.
- Remove and let duck rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Heat reserved duck fat in a deep skillet. Sauté curry paste, garlic, and ginger for 4–5 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.
- Add chicken stock and simmer until reduced by half (about 2–3 minutes).
- Stir in coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and fish sauce. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
- Add green beans and cook for 3 minutes until tender.
- Stir in lychees or pineapple and simmer for 1 minute more. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Spoon some sauce into a wide serving platter or bowl.
- Slice duck breasts thinly and arrange over the sauce, fanning slightly to expose the pink flesh.
- Spoon remaining sauce and fruit around the duck, avoiding the crispy skin.
- Garnish with Thai basil, cilantro, chili slices, and lime wedges.
- Serve immediately with jasmine rice.
Notes
- Always start duck in a cold pan to render fat properly.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for the best texture and flavor.
- Duck is best served medium with a pink center.
- Resting the duck after cooking keeps it juicy.
- For fruit, use fresh pineapple or lychee when possible for maximum flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (with rice)
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: Thai Red Duck Curry, Thai red curry with duck, duck curry recipe, authentic Thai duck curry, Thai curry with coconut milk, crispy duck curry