Ingredients
- 600g duck breasts, skin on, trimmed, cut into strips
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 lemongrass stem, white part only, finely sliced
- 1 long red chilli, sliced on the diagonal
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion, cut into 1cm slices
- 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- pinch of sea salt
- 2 cups cooked vermicelli noodles, to serve
- 1/4 cup golden-fried, crispy eschalots
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, to garnish
Method
Place the duck, garlic, lemongrass and chilli in a bowl and mix well.
Place 3 tbsp of vegetable oil in a hot wok over a high heat. Add duck mixture in batches and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until cooked, then remove the duck.
Add remaining oil and onion to wok and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until light golden. Return the duck mixture to wok, add the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, tamarind pulp, caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Simmer for a few minutes. Check seasoning.
To serve, place some blanched vermicelli noodles in four bowls. Place the wok-fried duck on top and garnish with the crispy eschalots and Thai basil. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
HOT TIPS
• Any meal with duck seems slightly decadent - which is why I love this dish.
• Feel free to add or take away any number of items here to suit your palate. I like to add coriander, long-leafed mint and fried garlic slithers, and I'll sometimes swap the vermicelli for fresh, thick rice noodles. All delicious!
• You can use chicken instead of duck - or try squid, crab, prawns or sliced beef.
Finish your meal with with raspberry coconut pudding.
