Mindy's Crispy Skin Duck with fragant red Curry & Lychees, Thai coconut & Fish Floss Rice.

Ingredients:

 
Red Curry Paste:

12white pepper corns

3teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted

1teaspoon cumin seeds toasted

1teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted

3cmgalangal

8cloves garlic

15dried red chillies deseeded, then soaked in warm water until soft

8kaffir lime leaves

1bunch coriander roots, chopped

2stalks lemongrass, white only, chopped

6long red chillies, deseeded

1teaspoon mace

2cmbelachan (shrimp paste), toasted in foil

Zest and juice of 2 limes

Duck

• 2duck marylands
• 4tablespoons five spice powder
• 2tablespoons rice flour

Red curry

• 3tablespoons vegetable oil
• 375mlcoconut cream
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• 4tablespoons palm sugar
• Juice of 2 limes
• 6torn kaffir lime leaves
• 8fresh or tinned lychees

Coconut rice

• 1cup jasmine rice
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• ½cup toasted shredded coconut
• 3kaffir lime leaves, very finely shredded
• 250mlcoconut cream
• 2tablespoons shaved coconut palm sugar

Fish floss

• 150gwhite fish, skin on
• 3tablespoons salt flakes
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Garnishes

• ½ cup day-old cooked rice, deep fried
• Picked basil leaves
• Picked Vietnamese mint leaves
• Lime wedges
• Thai or Holy basil, deep fried
• 1long red chilli, sliced on the diagonal
• 4kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

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Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. For red curry paste, grind spices in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Place all ingredients into a food processor with ground spices and process to a smooth paste. Add 1-2 tablespoons oil if required.

3. For duck, clean tendons and knuckle from end of duck legs. Rub five spice powder into duck, season with a pinch of salt, cover and set aside.

3. For red curry, heat oil in a large frying pan or wok. Heat to shimmer point, add 5 heaped tablespoons of prepared curry paste (remaining curry paste can be frozen for another use) and fry until fragrant.

4. Add half the coconut cream, stir through to combine, reduce heat, add fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice to taste. Allow sauce to simmer, add kaffir lime leaves, cover.

5. Cook jasmine rice according to packet instructions. When cooked stir through coconut cream, toasted and untoasted coconut, lime leaves and palm sugar. Cover to keep warm.

6. For fish floss, place fish on a wire rack set on a tray and bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until very dry and completely cooked through. It is important all moisture is removed from the flesh to achieve end result. Flake fish flesh, season with salt flakes and place on paper towel to absorb moisture. Reserve skin.

7. Heat oil in a wok or saucepan to 160°C. Gently sprinkle one tablespoon flaked fish over the surface of the oil, allow it to bubble for 30 seconds, then gently scrape fish together to one side of fryer with a slotted spoon. Flakes will stick together. Gently flip, cook for a further 30 seconds, then remove and drain on paper towel. Repeat with remaining fish. Deep fry fish skin until crisp. Break into pieces and combine with floss.

8. To cook duck, increase oil to 180°C. Place duck on a small plate and place inside a steamer, steam for 12 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Dust with rice flour, deep fry for 8 minutes in 180°C oil. Drain. Chop with a cleaver into 4-5 pieces.

9. To finish red curry, reheat sauce and add remaining coconut cream. Adjust to taste with palm sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Add lychees and stir through.

10. Pour red curry sauce into a deep serving bowl, arrange duck pieces on top of each other in the centre of the bowl. Top with crispy rice, crispy holy basil, mint, lime wedges and chilli. Serve rice in a separate bowl and top with floss and crispy fish skin. Top with shredded kaffir lime leaves and fish floss.