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Kerala duck roast
താറാവ് റോസ്റ്റ്: duck pieces braised tender, then roasted in a peppery onion-tomato masala and finished with coconut milk, for Christmas
Christmas morning in Kuttanad and Kottayam often begins after midnight Mass with palappam and a dark, glossy tharavu roast. Ducks are raised along the Kerala backwaters, and Syrian Christian families save this dish for feast days. Duck is a richer, firmer bird than chicken: here it is cut into curry pieces, marinated with pepper, turmeric and vinegar, pressure-cooked until tender, then roasted in coconut oil with masses of onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli, coriander and plenty of black pepper, before thick coconut milk softens the heat. Cook the duck right through until tender, and for safety until 74 °C in the thickest pieces. The finished roast should be thick and clinging rather than soupy. Serve with appam, idiyappam or crusty bread, with a vegetable stew on the side. Common mistake: leaving all the duck fat in; skim the rich fat off the cooking liquid or the roast turns greasy. Chef's tip: keep the skimmed duck fat in the fridge and use a spoonful to fry potatoes.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the duck
- 2 ⅞ lb duckskin on, cut into 10–12 curry pieces, excess fat trimmed
- 1 tbsp coconut or white vinegar
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp saltdivided
- 1 cup water
For the masala
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 3 onionsthinly sliced
- 1 oz fresh gingercut into thin matchsticks
- 10 garlic clovessliced
- 4 green chilliesslit
- 20 curry leavesdivided
- 1 ½ tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp black peppercornsfreshly crushed
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tomatoessliced
- ¾ cup thick coconut milk
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ⅞ lb duck with 1 tbsp coconut or white vinegar, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground black pepper and half the 1 tsp salt. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour, never at room temperature.
Step 2: Put the duck and 1 cup water in a pressure cooker and cook on a medium heat for 5–6 whistles, about 25 minutes, until the meat is tender when pierced with a knife. Let the pressure drop by itself. Without a cooker, simmer covered for 1–1¼ hours.
30 minStep 3: Pour the cooking liquid into a jug and let it settle for 5 minutes, then spoon off the layer of duck fat from the top. Keep the liquid.
Step 4: Heat 4 tbsp coconut oil in a wide, heavy pan over a medium heat. Add ½ tsp fennel seeds, then 3 onions, and fry for 12–15 minutes, stirring, until deep golden.
15 minStep 5: Add 1 oz fresh ginger, 10 garlic cloves, 4 green chillies and half the 10 curry leaves and fry for 3 minutes until fragrant and the garlic is pale gold.
3 minStep 6: Turn the heat to low and stir in 1 ½ tbsp ground coriander, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp black peppercorns and 1 tsp garam masala with a splash of the cooking liquid. Cook for 2 minutes until the spices smell toasted and the oil turns red.
2 minStep 8: Add the duck pieces and 100 ml of the skimmed cooking liquid. Roast over a medium heat, turning the pieces, for 12–15 minutes until the masala clings to the duck and turns dark brown. A probe in the thickest piece should read at least 165°F.
15 minStep 9: Pour in ¾ cup thick coconut milk and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until thick and glossy; don't let it boil hard or the coconut milk splits.
4 minStep 10: Fry the rest of the 10 curry leaves in a teaspoon of oil until crisp, scatter over the roast and serve with appam.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kerala duck roast take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 95 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of coconut or white vinegar?
- Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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Perfect for:Christmas