Duck Curry Recipe - Thai Red Curry Recipe | Hank Shaw (2024)

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4.89 from 17 votes

By Hank Shaw

February 18, 2013 | Updated December 21, 2021

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One of my favorite recipes in my cookbook Duck, Duck, Goose: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Waterfowl, Both Farmed and Wild is a Thai green duck curry. This red duck curry is an alternate version, one that’s every bit as popular in Thailand.

Duck Curry Recipe - Thai Red Curry Recipe | Hank Shaw (2)

I consider myself a pretty good cook, but whenever I venture outside my comfort zone I try to seek out people who know more about the food than I do. In this case, my friend Jax Phongsavath’s mom. Jax is as American as I am, but her mom is from Thailand.

Nervously, I ran my green duck curry past her. I was overjoyed to get the “Thai Mom Seal of Approval” for that recipe. Only thing Jax said to me was that her mom usually made Thai red curry with duck.

So here it is: Red duck curry with a Thai mom’s seal of approval. Hope you like it!

The highlights of this curry are, other than the duck, that great warm-rich feeling you get when you combine coconut milk and chiles, and the sweet-tart high notes of the pineapple chunks. If you hate fish sauce, you can skip it, but Jax’s mother will be sad. I prefer Three Crabs brand fish sauce, but Red Boat is also good.

Serve this with white steamed rice and a crisp beer, or an off-dry white wine such as a Gewurztraminer. Once you make this recipe, you can reheat it as leftovers for a few days.

A word on the curry paste. The store-bought ones are very good, especially if you can find Mae Ploy. But if you want to make your own Thai red curry paste, this is a pretty good recipe.

If you’re looking for something Asian, but a little different to make with your duck legs, try my Sriracha Honey Lime Duck Legs instead. And this Thai green curry works well with duck, too.

4.89 from 17 votes

Thai Red Curry Duck

You can make this dish with any wild or domestic duck or goose, and you can use either skin-on or skinless breast meat. I used skinless breast meat here. If you want to use skin-on, sear the skin side of the duck breast until it's crispy and set aside; don't cook the meat side. Follow the recipe as written from there. Most of the ingredients here are available at any major supermarket, and those that might be hard to find I've listed as optional. But each one adds to the authentic Thai flavor, so try to get them if you can. The curry paste is the most vital: If you can't find it in your market, you can buy red curry paste online.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Servings: 4 people

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass (optional, white parts only)
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced thinly top to root
  • 2 to 6 small hot chiles, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
  • 1 13- ounce can coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
  • 1 pound diced, peeled potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (palm sugar if you can get it)
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
  • 1 pound duck or goose breasts, sliced thin
  • Lime juice to taste
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Heat the peanut oil in a wok or a heavy saute pan over high heat. The moment it smokes, add the lemongrass, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the onion and chiles stir-fry another minute or two, then mix in the curry paste. Stir-fry the curry paste until it begins to separate a little, about 2 minutes.

  • Pour in the coconut milk and stir well to combine. Fill up the coconut milk can with water and pour that in, too. Add the fish sauce and the potatoes and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

  • When the potatoes are just about tender, add the pineapple chunks and the sugar. Add salt or more fish sauce to taste. Cook the pineapple for a minute or two before adding in the sliced duck breast.

  • The duck breast will release some juice in a minute or two. When it does, stir the curry well and add the cilantro and lime juice to taste. Turn off the heat and serve immediately over white rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 801mg | Potassium: 1284mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 2545IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 11mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
Asian, Ducks and Geese, Featured, Recipe, Wild Game

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Duck Curry Recipe - Thai Red Curry Recipe | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

How do Thai restaurants make curry so creamy? ›

Often, Thai curries are made using coconut milk as the main liquid, which results in a creamy consistency. You can use as much or as little coconut milk as you wish based on your preference for texture, spice, and flavor.

What's the difference between red curry and Thai curry? ›

Traditionally, all Thai curries were made with the same ingredients except for one thing: the chillies. Red curry was made with several red chillies for a fiery hot dish, while green curry was made with green chillies, and yellow curry was made with yellow chillies.

What is duck curry made of? ›

Marinate duck pieces with the marinade for at least 30 minutes. Add mustard seeds and when it starts to splutter, add sliced shallots, curry leaves, dried red chilli, chopped ginger, garlic and saute for couple of minutes.

Is red coconut curry spicy? ›

Thai red curry

They can be hot, but the spice factor in this Thai curry is toned down a little by the inclusion of coconut milk. If you're making this Thai curry from scratch at home, you can always remove the seeds from your chillies to make it less spicy, too.

Is it better to use coconut cream or milk in Thai curry? ›

Coconut milk and cream are mostly interchangeable in recipes such as curries and soups. If you prefer a richer flavour and texture, try coconut cream or vice versa. However, be careful when substituting coconut milk and cream in baked goods.

What is the secret to good Thai curry? ›

The secret to making amazing Thai curries is to use plenty of aromatics, like onion, ginger and garlic. Choose full-fat coconut milk for its richness (you won't regret it!). Stirring in just a little bit of rice vinegar and sugar adds tons of complexity.

Which is nicer red or green Thai curry? ›

The preference of Thai red curry or green curry depends on personal taste. Some people might prefer the spicier and bolder taste of red curry, while others might enjoy the more herbal and fragrant flavor of green curry. Both are delicious in their own ways, and it's worth trying both to see which one you like better.

Which is hottest Thai curry red or green? ›

Over time, however, other ingredients have been added to the curry pastes to enhance each recipe, making them more distinct from one another. Although all three colors may be spicy-hot depending on the chef, normally green is the mildest and red the hottest with yellow falling somewhere in between.

Which Thai curry is healthiest? ›

People love green curry because of the gentle balance of heat, sweet, and acid from the chiles, lime, and fresh herbs. Green curry is great with chicken and shrimp because it offers a punch of seasoning to the protein. The long list of herbs also makes green curry one of the healthiest Thai cuisine dishes.

Is duck curry good for health? ›

Duck meat is an excellent source of protein. Protein keeps us healthy by building and repairing our muscles, skin and blood. Duck meat is an excellent source of iron, providing 50% of the iron we need in a day. Iron helps make healthy blood that flows through our bodies, giving us energy and making us grow.

Is duck used in Thai cooking? ›

In Thailand red curry is often made with duck, and it works so well – the rich fattiness of the duck pairs surprisingly well with the equally rich but creamy coconut milk, the bite of chilli, the exotic fragrance of lemon grass and galangal.

Is duck common in Thai food? ›

Duck is another staple of Asian cooking, and Thai chefs know how to use this animal in their dishes. You can find either Kuay Teow Bpet or Khao Na Bpet, or sometimes both.

Which color Thai curry is the hottest? ›

Green Thai Curry is considered the hottest of all curries that will give you that burning but tasty flavor all over your mouth. For those who think that red curry is the spiciest among the Thai curries, it's about time to change this mindset.

What is the least spicy Thai curry? ›

Yellow curry is the mildest and often made with coriander, cumin, lemongrass ginger, garlic, and yellow or red chili.

How to spice up Thai red curry? ›

If you're looking for a spicier red curry, use hotter peppers. Thai peppers are excellent here if you can find them, but if not, use your favorite chili peppers of choice. Next, add in the garlic and cook another minute, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the curry powder and paprika.

How do you make curry more creamy? ›

Yoghurt or heavy cream:

To achieve a creamy, tangy curry sauce, incorporate yoghurt or heavy cream. Stir them in gently, as high heat may cause curdling. These ingredients are ideal for creating a luxurious texture in dishes like butter chicken or tikka masala.

What makes Thai curry thick? ›

First you can make your curry thick by adding as little liquid as possible. Secondly if you already have a lot of liquid in your curry, you reduce it by simmering. You may have to remove dry ingredients and set them aside to be added back later as some of them can be overcooked if not removed.

Which ingredient gives Thai dishes like Massaman curry their smooth creamy texture? ›

Coconut Milk

Coconut “milk” is made by grating the coconut flesh and soaking it in hot water. When it comes to Thai cuisine, it's a common ingredient when making curries and soups. And although it's not real dairy, it provides a creamy texture and balances out the heat from spices or peppers.

What ingredient makes curry thick? ›

Yes, curry is best thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot flour. Combine 1 tablespoon starch/ flour with 2-3 tablespoons water or curry sauce to make a slurry. Add to the pot and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.

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