A traditional Duck Curry Cooked in spices and coconut milk. The curry is rich and fragrant and relished with flatbreads or rice.
Course Main
Cuisine Kerala
Diet Gluten Free
Keyword Duck Curry, Kerala Style duck Curry, Tharavu Mappas
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour
Author Syama
Ingredients
1Whole Young Duck ( 4 - 5 lbs or 2 kg )
For Marinating Duck
1TspFresh Ground Pepper
1TspTurmeric powder
1TbspVinegar
Whole Spices To Powder Together
1 InchCinnamon stick
6Cloves
3Green Cardamom
1TspWhole Peppercorns
1TspFennel
1Star Anise
For Gravy
2COnions, Thinly Sliced
1InchFresh Root Ginger
3 - 4 Green chiliesSerrano or similar
1/4 CGarlic Cloves
FewCurry leaves
1 1/2SaltTo Taste
1TspChili powder
1TbspCoriander powder
2TbspCoconut Oil
1Can Coconut Milk See Notes
1CHot water
Final Touches
1TspPepper Powder
1TspGaram MasalaNotes
Instructions
Marinate the duck
Clean and skin the duck. Cut into 3 to 4 inch long pieces. Pat dry with kitchen towels to remove excess moisture. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together. Rub the marinade all over the duck and set aside for 20 minutes.
Make the dry spice powder
Dry roast (optional) and powder fennel, star anise, cardamom, peppercorns, and cloves.
Make curry
Thinly slice the onions, ginger, and garlic. Slit the green chilies.
Stove Top Pressure Cooker Version
Heat coconut oil in the pressure cooker and add the curry leaves and green chilies. Keep the heat on medium and fry for a minute and add the sliced onions. Cook for a few minutes, stirring as needed. When the onions turn brown, add the sliced ginger and garlic. Sauté for a minute or two and add the powdered spices, chili powder, coriander powder, and 1 tsp of salt.
Stir and cook for a minute until the spicy aromas fill the air. Add the duck pieces and cook for 5 minutes over medium high heat stirring often. Add the hot water (or thin coconut milk ). Place the lid on and pressure-cook the duck. If on a traditional stove top pressure cooker it takes up to 3 whistles or about 10 to 12 minutes of high pressure in an electric one.
Instant Pot / Electric Pressure Cooker Version
Follow the above instructions. and cook in saute mode till you add hot water/thin coconut milk. Switch to manual pressure high for 12 minutes. Place the lid on and finish cooking.
Finishing touches
Let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker and check if the duck meat has cooked. If needed replace the lid and simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes.
Taste and adjust salt. Bring the curry to a boil and add coconut cream ( Or the first extraction of fresh coconut milk) from the can. Turn off the heat and replace the lid.
Let the curry rest for 30 minutes before serving. It tastes best if allowed to rest overnight.
Before serving warm the curry and sprinkle a little garam masala and pepper powder on top.
Notes
Skinning the duck is entirely at your discretion.
Fresh young duck cooks in about 10 minutes in the pressure cooker. But with store bought frozen version I have had mixed luck. Some needed 3 times the cooking time, so choose a good quality young duck.
If fresh coconut milk is available I recommend using it.