Thai-style Duck

Name: Thai-style Duck
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves To serve 4
Ingredients: 1 lb duck breasts (boneless and skinless); 1 stalk lemongrass; 3 tablespoons groundnut (peanut) oil; 2 medium shallots; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or light soy sauce); 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce; 1 lime; 3 large red or green chilli peppers; 2 teaspoons sugar; 1 handful fresh basil leaves; 2 teaspoons light soy sauce; 2 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; ¼ teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch); freshly ground black pepper

Ready in 45 mins

Recipe by Graham

For many years, duck was a neglected food that many people were afraid of cooking. Fortunately, duck breasts are now widely available and are perfect for a quick stir-fry. They can add a new dimesion to your cooking repertoire. The flesh has the advantage of being meaty and lean at the same time.

Preparation Time

35 Minutes

Cooking Time

10 Minutes

Ingredients for Thai-style Duck

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Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 4:

1 lb duck breasts (boneless and skinless)
1 stalk lemongrass
3 tablespoons groundnut (peanut) oil
2 medium shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fish sauce (or light soy sauce)
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 lime
3 large red or green chilli peppers
2 teaspoons sugar
1 handful fresh basil leaves
For the marinade
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch)
freshly ground black pepper

How to Cook Thai-style Duck

Cut the duck breasts into slices about 4cm (1½") long. Place the slices in a bowl, add the marinade ingredients and mix well. Allow to marinade for 15 minutes (or more if you wish).
Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the shallots, peel and roughly chop the garlic, zest the lime, and deseed and finely grate the chilli peppers.
Peel the lemongrass stalk to reveal the tender, whitish centre. Cut it into lengths about 5cm (2") long. Crush with the flat of a cleaver or wide knife and set aside.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat until it is very hot. Add the groundnut (peanut) oil and, when the oil is hot and begins to smoke, add the duck from the marinade and stir fry for about 2 minutes (it should be slightly pink in the centre). Remove the duck and drain in a colander.
Pour off all but about 1½ tablespoons of oil from the pan and reheat over a high heat. Add the lemongrass, shallots, and garlic and stir fry for 3 minutes. Then add the fish sauce (or light soy sauce), the dark soy sauce, the lime zest, chilli peppers and sugar and stir fry for one minute.
Return the drained duck to the pan, stir to mix well, toss in the basil leaves, give it all a good stir, then transfer to a warmed serving dish and take straight to the table.