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Trini curry duck
Curry duck: duck in a dark, roasted Trinidad curry
Curry duck is the dish of the riverside lime in south and central Trinidad, cooked in a big iron pot over a wood fire while friends cool off in the water. The duck is chopped small, marinated in green seasoning, then "burnt" into a curry paste fried until almost black, which gives the sauce its dark colour and deep, slightly bitter edge. It's served with rice, dhal and sada or paratha roti. A common mistake is serving it before the duck has fully broken down: duck is chewy and needs long, slow cooking. Chef's tip: spoon off the yellow duck fat that rises during cooking and keep it for roasting potatoes.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 4 ⅜ lb duckjointed and chopped into small pieces, most skin and fat trimmed
- 4 tbsp green seasoning
- 1 limejuice only
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp Trinidad curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp ground roasted cumin
- ½ cup waterfor the curry paste
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionsliced
- 8 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 scotch bonnetchopped
- 3 ¼ cups hot water
- 2 tbsp chadon benichopped (or coriander)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 4 ⅜ lb duck with 1 lime and rinse. Toss with 4 tbsp green seasoning and 1 ½ tsp salt, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Step 2: Mix 4 tbsp Trinidad curry powder, 1 tsp garam masala and 2 tsp ground roasted cumin with ½ cup water into a smooth paste.
Step 3: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat and fry 1 onion, 8 cloves garlic and 1 scotch bonnet for 3 minutes until soft.
3 minStep 4: Add the curry paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 4–5 minutes until it darkens, thickens, turns grainy and the oil separates. This "burning" of the curry gives the flavour; if it sticks, add a spoonful of water.
5 minStep 5: Add the duck and stir well to coat every piece. Cover and cook in its own juices over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
15 minStep 6: Pour in 3 ¼ cups hot water, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 75–90 minutes, skimming off fat as it rises, until the duck is very tender and pulls easily from the bone. The thickest pieces should reach 165°F.
80 minStep 7: Uncover and cook for 10 minutes more until the sauce is thick and clings to the duck. Stir in 2 tbsp chadon beni and serve with rice and roti.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does trini curry duck take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garam masala?
- Curry powder, same amount.
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