The best duck curry I had was in Bangkok at the Oriental Hotel (of course!).  My friend, Karen and I loved the duck curry at Sala Rim Naam — between our marathon massage sessions, we would take the river taxi across the Chao Praya just to have the duck curry. The river ride adds to the eating experience!

Well, on this side of the Pacific, I take the short cut of using store-bought roasted duck from Chinatown and whip out a quick red curry sauce.  Don’t worry about making your own curry paste – the Thais use the bottled ones, so why don’t we, too.

Chef’s tip: Save the bonier parts of the duck for other uses. The five spice seasoning in the carcass sometimes overpowers the curry. Thai Kitchen’s brand fish sauce and curry paste are pretty good.

Ingredients

½ cup of coconut cream
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste

2 cups coconut milk
5 pieces of kaffir lime leaves, chiffonade finely
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
1 Tablespoon palm / brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste

1 cup mini Thai eggplant (or 1/2 Japanese eggplant cut into 3/4 inch length)
1 zuchinni, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 roasted duck (from Hong Kong-style delis)

10 lycees or grapes
10 cherry tomatoes
A sprig of basil

1. In a medium saucepot, heat 1/2 cup coconut cream on medium high till it begins to bubble.  Add curry paste and sliced garlic.  Fry till fragrant, red and oil has separated, about 5-7 minutes
2. Add remaining coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes
3. Finely shred kaffir lime leaves, reserves a generous pinch for garnishing
4. Add shredded kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, sugar, and salt.  Add eggplant and zuchinni.  Simmer uncovered until gravy has thicken.
5. Cut duck into 8 pieces (reserve bones and wings for other use) and add to the curry.  Simmer 3 minutes.
6. Remove from heat.  Add grapes/lycee and tomatoes.
7.  Garnish with kaffir lime leaves and basil.

Serves: 4

Tags: coconut, curry, Thai.

The origins of Flavor Explosions.  I re-created this recipe based on the memory of smell (oui, Rémy!) of the aroma in my late grandmother’s house as she roasted curry powder. My grandmother roasted curry powder in a wok 1-yard in diameter, over a charcoal stove, and had all of us – her grandkids – tightly packed the spice mix into recycled glass ketchup bottles which she then sells. Unfortunately, none of us documented her recipe so I created this concoction based on what I remembered from those hot afternoons in Malaysia 30+ years ago! And dedicate it to the memory of my grandmother.
Malaysian curry powder reflects the blend of South Indian, Sri Lankan and Peranakan flavors.

Chef’s tip: Store in a air-tight glass jar in a cool place for up to six months.

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons whole coriander
2 Tablespoons whole cumin
2 Tablespoons whole fennel
3 Tablespoons whole fenugreek
2 Tablespoons whole black pepper
1 3-inch stick cinnamon
2 Tablespoons rice
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne
5 whole dried red peppers, stems and seeds removed
4 cloves
1 star anise
5 tablespoon ground tumeric

Directions:
1. Over medium heat, dry-fry all whole spices (everything but the tumeric) in a wok or a skillet for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Stir/ toss constantly to make sure the spices don’t burn.
2. Let cool slightly, transfer to a spice grinder and grind until it becomes a fine powder.
3. Mix in tumeric and bottle the curry powder.

Makes: 1 cup.

Tags: curry, Malaysian, Spices, vegan, Vegetarian.

Also known as “Terong Belado” this is a yummy and beautiful dish. The juxtaposition of the fiery red of the sambal with the brilliant purple of the eggplant is a feast for the eyes as well.

Chef’s tip: The sambal can be used as a condiment for lots of other dishes. Try it with grilled salmon, or a bowl of laksa.

Spice paste:
10 fresh red Jalapeno
5 shallots
2 tablespoons roasted belachan, optional
1 stalk lemon grass
2 cloves garlic

Sambal:
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
1 tablespoon lime juice

5 small Japanese eggplant, cut into 2 lengthwise
Kosher salt
2 cups canola oil

Preparing the spice paste
1.    Grind together spice paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Set aside.
Preparing the sambal
2.    Heat ½ cup of oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until just hot.  Stir in spice paste.   Add sugar and salt.  Cook, stirring constantly until it achieves a deep red consistency, about 10 minutes.  Mix in lime juice.
Preparing the eggplant
3.    Cut eggplant into half lenghtwise.  Salt generously and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Pat dry.
4.    Heat 2 inches of oil in a skillet until hot (360F) over high heat.  Divide the eggplant into small batches so that they do not crowd the pan. Deep fry the eggplant for about 5 minutes each or until golden and tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on a cooling rack over a sheet pan (line sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy cleaning).  Repeat with the remaining batches.  Pour off the oil and discard oil.
Assembling
5.    Spoon the sambal over the eggplant.

Serves: 10

Tags: curry, Indonesian, Rijsttafel, sambal, vegan, Vegetarian.