Pineapple Duck Curry

December 10, 2013

Author: KatieChin

This month’s issue of Ventura Blvd Magazine includes an entertaining feature to celebrate my new cookbook, “Everyday Thai Cooking” at the home of my dear friend and TV personality Jeannie Mai. I served an eight course Thai menu for our holiday dinner which included this Pineapple Duck Curry dish. It’s sweet and spicy and slightly sour with bright notes from the pineapple and grape tomatoes. I love the complex layers from the cilantro, mint, kaffir lime leaf, red curry paste, Thai chilies, fish sauce, Thai basil and soothing coconut milk in this dish. It’s the perfect dish to warm you up on a chilly winter night. Before I share the recipe with you, here are some highlights from the night…

Me and Jeannie enjoying a Kate-ini Cocktail minutes before our guests arrived! My friend Bill Tocantins of Elixir G came up with the Kate-ini and here is it:

1 1/2 ounces Ultimat Vodka

1/2 ounce Elixir G ginger mix

1/2 ounce Patron Citronge (orange liqueur)

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

Shake ingredients with ice and serve in a sugar-rimmed martini glass. Salut!

Here we all are gathered around Jeannie’s dinner table in the “Animal Room.” My amazing friend Nicole Hirsty of Cobalt Eventsdressed the table with beautiful Thai-inspired dishes, candle votives wrapped in tea leaves and decorative elephants! Now, onto the Pineapple Duck Curry recipe….

Ingredients

1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon minced galangal or fresh ginger

1 fresh hot red or green chili, preferably Thai (deseeded for less heat), finely sliced

3 tablespoons thick red curry paste

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons palm or brown sugar

2 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half (optional)

8 ounces roast Chinese duck, thinly sliced

1 Asian eggplant, cut 1/2-inch lengthwise and then sliced crosswise into wedges

2 cups coconut milk

1 cup basic chicken stock or store-bought

1 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple

8 small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons fresh Thai or Italian basil leaves

4 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

4 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

Instructions

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add the thick red curry paste, stirring to break it up, about 1 minute. Add the ﬁsh sauce, palm sugar and kafﬁr lime leaves, if using, and cook for 2 minutes, while stirring to combine.
Add the duck, eggplant and coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pineapple and cherry tomatoes, simmer for 2 more minutes. Add the basil, fresh coriander leaves and mint leaves; cook for 30 seconds or until basil is wilted. Dish out and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

You can get coconut milk in the gourmet section at Cost Plus World Market.