Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground red pepper( I used dried ground Mexican Poblano Chillies)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup white wine/grape vinegar
- 1 kilogram duck meat, cut in medium pieces( Ask your butcher to leave the skin on for that extra crispness)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups minced fresh onion
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 /2 kilogram small red potatoes(I used regular potatoes and made cubes out of them. White baby potatoes work, as fine)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Preparation:
- Combine first 4 ingredients along with whole red pepper in a spice grinder or a mixer; process until powdered. Place in a small bowl; stir in ginger, garlic, red pepper, and cinnamon. Add the vinegar, stirring until combined. Place vinegar mixture and duck pieces in a large zip-lock plastic bag; seal. Leave to marinate in refrigerator 4 hours or overnight.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 minutes or until browned. Add coriander and turmeric; sauté 1 minute.
- Add duck pieces to the pan; cook till the skin turns crispy and brown. Stir in water, tomato paste, salt, sugar and potatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer on slow flame for 40 minutes or until duck is done and potatoes are tender. The meat should ideally be falling off the bone.Remove from heat.
- Serve the duck with steaming long grained plain white Basmati Rice or the more exotic Chorizo Sausage Pulao.
In India, duck meat is a little tough. Although its not advisable, you could resort to using a pressure-cooker to get the meat cooked, if you are in a hurry. The best flavour would, however be when you slow simmer the meat, till tender.
Sambrita Basu is a food-fascinated travel writer and photographer based out of Bangalore India. A background and a degree in hospitality and restaurant management paved her interest in food. As the secretary of the institution’s editorial club, she contributed regularly and wrote about food in their annual magazine, A la Carte.
Sambrita has published interviews of celebrity authors and business veterans in international publications like Infineon. Her contributions also include photographs on foods and restaurants of Bangalore for DNA—a leading newspaper publication in Bangalore. Sambrita’s creative expressions transport readers to alleys, hotels, hide-outs, restaurants, attics, and spice markets in several cities across the world.
Sam (as she is popularly known by her friends and family) doesn’t write for a living, but she lives to write.
