Both the breast and the leg portions are well-exercised muscles with plentiful fat, which gives an additional richness that chicken and turkey just do not have. In addition, duck breasts are thinner, flatter, and blockier than other poultry breasts, and their wings are longer.

Having duck at home is often disappointing, if not cooked correctly. The meat needs to be treated differently for it to be tender and moist. The key is to give the meat enough time to reduce the fat and become succulent.

THAI RED CURRY DUCK

Ingredients

½ kg duck breasts, sliced thin

1 tbsp peanut oil

1 tbsp minced lemongrass, white part only

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 onion, thinly sliced

5-6 hot red chillies, chopped

¼ cup Thai red curry paste

1 cup coconut milk

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup pineapple chunks

Lime juice to taste

¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro

Method

Heat peanut oil in a wok over high heat. The moment it smokes, add the lemongrass, ginger and garlic, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the onions and the chillies and stir fry for another 1 minute, then mix in the red curry paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and fish sauce, mix well, and then add the pineapple chunks, salt and sugar. Cook the pineapple for 1 minute. Add the sliced duck breasts. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice to taste. Turn off the heat and serve immediately.

DUCK BREAST IN TERIYAKI SAUCE

Ingredients

2 duck breasts

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp honey

¼ tbsp fresh grated ginger

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Finely sliced onion leaves, to garnish

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Method

Score the duck skin by making shallow diagonal cuts all over at half-inch intervals. Repeat, going the opposite direction.

Heat a non-stick frying pan. Lay the duck on the pan, skin side down. Cook over high heat until light browned and transfer the duck to a plate. Pour off the duck fat.

Replace the frying pan to the stove with the heat set to medium. Pour in the soy sauce and vinegar and stir in the honey, pepper and grated ginger. Put the duck breast on the pan, skin side up. Cover the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat. Transfer the duck to a chopping board. Cut into slices about half an inch thick. Place rice on a plate. Arrange the duck on top. Drizzle in the pan juices. Sprinkle with sliced onion and toasted sesame seeds.

Serve hot.

DUCK KEBABS WITH GREEN PEPPER

Ingredients

2 duck breasts

3 cloves garlic

½ inch ginger

4 spring onions

1 tbsp mint leaves

1 tsp hot chilli powder

1 green capsicum, cut into chunks

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp mustard oil

Salt to taste

Method

Prepare the marinade. Crush garlic, ginger and mint leaves; put in a bowl with the chilli powder, oil, salt, and soy sauce. Remove the skin and chop each duck breast into about 8 pieces. Add the duck to the marinade. Stir to coat well and put in the fridge for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 200° C. Take the duck out of the fridge and thread onto skewers with the chunks of green pepper and spring onions. Put the kebabs in the oven for about 10 minutes. When done, remove from oven and serve.

SPICY DUCK CURRY

Ingredients

1 whole duck, cut into pieces

½ cup sliced onion

3 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

½ tsp cumin seeds powder

½ tsp coriander seeds powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

1 cinnamon stick

3 cardamom pods

4 cloves, 2 bay leaves

4 green chillies

½ cup oil

Juice of ½ a line

Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add cardamom, cinnamon stick, clove and bay leaves. Allow it to crackle and pop for a minute. Stir in onions and cook till transparent and soft. Add ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder.

Keep stirring till browned. Add the duck pieces and salt. Squeeze in half a lime and mix well. Add little water, lower heat to medium and simmer till tender. Add green chillies. Cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

CRISPY DUCK WINGS WITH STICKY SWEET GLAZE

Ingredients

½ kg duck wings

2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

2 cups corn starch

1 tsp chilli flakes

Another 1 tsp kosher salt

Oil for frying

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup brown sugar

2 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1 tsp grated fresh ginger or powdered ginger

Method

For the first cooking of the wings, preheat the oven to 350° C. Place them on a foil lined sheet tray. Use another foil to fully wrap and enclose the wings. Season the duck wings with Chinese five spice powder, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Completely wrap the wings in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let the wings cool completely before the next step.

Make the sauce in a saucepan, simmer soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic for 6 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.

For the second cooking of the wings, heat oil in a large skillet for frying. Mix corn starch, salt and chilli flakes in a resealable plastic zipper  bag. Shake the baked duck wings in batches in the corn starch to coat. Fry the duck wings in batches for 3-5 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Toss the duck wings in the sauce to coat and serve.

PAN-FRIED DUCK LIVER

Ingredients

5 duck livers, rinsed and thinly sliced horizontally

¼ cup oil

2 large onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

½ tsp freshly ground white pepper

Salt to taste

1 cup flour, 1 tsp paprika

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

6 tbsp unsalted butter

Method

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper; cook until soft and caramelised.

Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine salt, pepper, flour, paprika, and nutmeg. Dredge the liver slices in the flour mixture, and shake off excess. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat until butter begins to foam. Place liver slices in skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown. Transfer to a pepper towel-lined plate. Serve liver strewn with the reserved onions.

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed