Roast duck with spicy coconut and watermelon

Duck and watermelon are a great match and the spicy coconut dressing is the perfect foil to such a good partnership. If you don’t have time to roast your own duck, buy one from a Chinese restaurant

1 roast duck, de-boned and cut into pieces (see Meat & Poultry)

1½ cups chopped watermelon

1/3 cup roasted coconut, finely grated

½ cup Vietnamese mint

½ cup coriander leaves

4 shallots, peeled and sliced finely

5cm (2in) lemongrass, white part only, sliced

1 telegraph cucumber, peeled and chopped coarsely

2 large green chillies, seeded and sliced finely, lengthwise

Dressing

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon red curry paste

100ml (3½fl oz) coconut milk

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons black vinegar

1 teaspoon five spice powder

Make the dressing first by heating the oil in a small saucepan. Add the curry paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, to ensure the paste doesn’t burn or stick.

Transfer the paste to a mixing bowl, then add remaining dressing ingredients. Mix well and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large serving dish, combine the duck and the remaining salad ingredients. Pour the dressing over the duck salad and garnish with extra Vietnamese mint or coriander.

Serves 4

Red Duck Curry

1 400ml can lite coconut cream
1/2 Chinese barbecue duck, skin and bones removed, coarsely chopped
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs brown sugar
1 565g can lychees, drained
14 cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh Thai basil leaves
3 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, deveined, roughly torn
1 fresh red chilli, sliced lengthways
1 fresh green chilli, sliced lengthways
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Curry paste
5 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water, drained
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
3 tsp finely chopped fresh lemon grass
1 tsp finely chopped fresh galangal
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped fresh coriander roots
1/2 tsp finely grated Kaffir lime rind
10 whole black peppercorns
3 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp rock salt
1 tsp shrimp paste

To make curry paste, place chillies, onion, lemon grass and galangal in a mortar and pestle, and pound until crushed. Add garlic, coriander roots and lime rind, and pound until crushed. Add peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, salt and shrimp paste, and pound until smooth. (Alternatively, place in a small food processor and process until smooth.)

Place 125ml (1/2 cup) of the coconut cream in a medium wok or medium frying pan over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Add 2 tbs of the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Add the remaining coconut cream, duck, fish sauce and sugar. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add the lychees, tomatoes, Thai basil, Kaffir lime leaves and red and green chillies, and cook, stirring until heated through. Divide among serving bowls and serve with the rice.

Note: You will need to buy 1/2 a Chinese barbecue duck for the recipe, available from most Chinese barbecue food stores. If unavailable, substitute with 200g duck breasts pan-fried over medium heat for 4 minutes each side. Galangal and Thai basil are available from most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. Kaffir limes are available from selected greengrocers (substitute with a regular lime if unavailable). You can replace the curry paste with 2 tbs bought red curry paste.

Preparation Time - 20 minutes
Cooking Time - 15 minutes
Serves 2

Special-K 18Apr10
I made this tonight with 1/2 BBQ duck, store bought red curry paste and pineapple instead of lychees - wow! We are already planning on having it again.

Special-K 24Sep11
I made this again for dinner tonight with rambutans stuffed with pineapple which I found in Spicemart at the Aspley Hypermarket