Food is there to feel Glorious about NOT Guilty about!!!

Lisa Lynch

Duck Roast is synonymous to Christmas for me and the only way I like it is how my maternal grandmother made it. Initially, I use to think that this is the Pulincunnoo style but just recently I learned that this was a preparation that must have originated from my great grandmother who was from Tripunitara. It was so good to hear all my elder cousins reminisce fondly about my grandmother’s cooking style with minimal spices. I do wish I had a little more time to spend with her!

Anyways thanks to Preethi chechi, who has painstakingly simplified and reconstructed the recipe. Now everybody can enjoy my Ammachi’s duck roast in their homes. This recipe sharing is an emotion, a bit of my Ammachi’s love to your homes this Christmas !

P.S This can be replicated with chicken. Just be cautious about pressure cooking the chicken as it gets done faster than duck.

Ingredients

Marinade 1

Peppercorns – 1 levelled tbsp

Saunf – 1 tsp

salt – to taste

turmeric – 1/2 tsp

Marinade 2

Onion – 2 medium ( sliced)

Ginger – 1 small piece(sliced)

Garlic – 5-6 cloves (sliced)

Green chillies- 5 slit ones

Vinegar- 1 tbsp

Cloves – 4 ( crushed)

Cinnamon- 2 ( crushed)

For Tempering

Shallots / pearl onion – 2

curry leaves – 1 sprig

rice flour – 2 tsp

Garnish

Potatoes for frying – sliced or chopped (according to your preference)

Method

The recipe is for 1kg of duck / chicken

Wash and clean the duck with flour and rock salt.

Grind the ingredients for marinade1 and apply to the duck pieces .

Add the ingredients of marinade 2 to the duck and rub it together. Let it marinate for a couple of hours or overnight.

In a pressure cooker, add the marinated duck and very little water (approx 50ml) and let it cook on high flame till the first whistle. After that lower the flame and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Once the duck is cooked, take the pieces and set it aside.

Using a strainer, drain the stock.

Using the duck fat, slightly shallow fry the duck. Just that they don’t break apart.

Sauté 2 shallots and curry leaves in the same wok with the leftover duck fat till golden and rice flour ( 2tsp) and sauté.

Add the onion,garlic, ginger, green chillies that has been strained from the stock and sauté till golden brown.

Now add the stock and let it boil till the gravy thickens and reduces to your preferred consistency.

Now add the fried duck. Garnish with fried potatoes

Duck Roast is best served with kallappam, appam, or any rice based breads.