Tharavu Roast - Roast Duck With Gravy

by Helly Raichura, featured in The Food Of Bharat

Published by Hardie Grant

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Introduction

The Syrian Christian community’s cuisine in India is heavily influenced by local produce and techniques. The community is composed of local Brahmins who were converted to Christianity, and a few hundred Syrian Christians who had travelled there, with both communities merging through intermarriage. Christmas and Easter are prominent festivals celebrated by the community, with a spread of dishes that use spices, produce and techniques popular in Malabar cooking. One of the most popular festive dishes is a roast duck made with flavourful spices.

For US measures and ingredient names, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

The Food Of Bharat

Image of Helly Raichura's Tharavu Roast — Photo by Jana Langhorst

Ingredients

Serves: 4-5

Metric U.S.

2 kilograms ducks
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
5 - 6 green cardamom pods
1 cassia bark stick
4 whole cloves
20 grams piece fresh ginger (grated)
30 grams garlic cloves (peeled)
2 sprigs of curry leaves (leaves stripped)
15 grams ground black pepper
3 tablespoons malt vinegar
185 millilitres vegetable oil
800 grams shallots (thinly sliced)

4lb 6 ounces ducks
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
5 - 6 green cardamom pods
1 stick
4 whole cloves
¾ ounce piece fresh gingerroot (grated)
1 ounce garlic cloves (peeled)
2 sprigs of curry leaves (leaves stripped)
½ ounce ground black pepper
3 tablespoons malt vinegar
¾ cup vegetable oil
1lb 12 ounces shallots (thinly sliced)

Method

Tharavu Roast - Roast Duck With Gravy is a guest recipe by Helly Raichura so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Portion the duck into wings, thighs and breasts. Rub with the turmeric and set aside.
For the masala, toast the cardamom pods, cassia bark and whole cloves in a dry frying pan over a low heat until fragrant, then grind the whole spices to a ﬁne powder with the ginger, garlic, curry leaves, black pepper, vinegar and a pinch of salt.
Place the duck pieces in a deep pot and ﬁll it with lukewarm water until the duck is almost completely submerged. Add the masala paste and mix well.
Place the pot over a medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, or until the duck is soft and the liquid has reduced by half. Stir periodically.
Remove the duck pieces and pat dry with paper towel, then set aside and allow them to come to room temperature.
Place the pot containing the liquid back over a low heat and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the shallot until golden brown. Add the fried shallot to the gravy, keeping the oil in the pan.
Place the frying pan with the oil back over a medium heat and fry the duck pieces to caramelise the skin evenly all over.
Once fried, return the duck pieces to the gravy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then cook for another 5 minutes over a medium heat.
Serve with rice.

Portion the duck into wings, thighs and breasts. Rub with the turmeric and set aside.
For the masala, toast the cardamom pods, cassia bark and whole cloves in a dry frying pan over a low heat until fragrant, then grind the whole spices to a ﬁne powder with the ginger, garlic, curry leaves, black pepper, vinegar and a pinch of salt.
Place the duck pieces in a deep pot and ﬁll it with lukewarm water until the duck is almost completely submerged. Add the masala paste and mix well.
Place the pot over a medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, or until the duck is soft and the liquid has reduced by half. Stir periodically.
Remove the duck pieces and pat dry with paper towel, then set aside and allow them to come to room temperature.
Place the pot containing the liquid back over a low heat and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the shallot until golden brown. Add the fried shallot to the gravy, keeping the oil in the pan.
Place the frying pan with the oil back over a medium heat and fry the duck pieces to caramelise the skin evenly all over.
Once fried, return the duck pieces to the gravy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then cook for another 5 minutes over a medium heat.
Serve with rice.