Kerala Duck Roast

Kerala Duck Roast

Duck roast makes a beautiful holiday main dish. Kerala duck roast is a traditional recipe, that tastes exotic. It is aromatic with a distinctive flavor and taste and is not like a regular roasted duck. It is pan-roasted and then simmered in a delicious gravy till it thickens and gets coated on the meat. It is a specialty of Syrian Christian families in Kerala and part of their menu on special occasions like wedding feasts and Christmas dinner. For many Malayalis, this is a must-have dish on the Christmas menu. Today I am sharing two recipes, the traditional Kerala style duck roast and a Kerala spice whole duck roast cooked in the oven. Duck has a more intense flavor profile than chicken, and warm spices, black pepper, and coconut oil go well with its flavor. It is a delicious accompaniment with Kerala style laced pancake, bread, idiyappam, or steamed rice.

In Kerala duck is cooked with skin-on, for flavor and richness. Duck meat has a lot of fat, mostly from its skin, so it is always good to cook with less oil and sear the meat to release the natural fat. In regions like Kuttanadu, it is made with the skin on and is fried in its fat, and seventy percent of the cooking is done without adding water. But if you do not want the excess fat then remove the skin and fat. When compared to chicken, the duck has a longer cooking time. It is best to slow cook for about 35-45 minutes for tender cooked meat, or else an easier alternative is to pressure cook or cook in the instant pot. The curry is flavored, with are coconut milk, pearl onions, aromatic whole spices, ginger, and curry leaves. Give this recipe a try, you will surely love it. Happy cooking!

Kerala Duck Roast Recipe

Ingredients
Duck - 2 lb
Shallots chopped - 1 cup
Onions sliced- 2
Ginger- 2 inch
Garlic- 8-10tbs
Chilly powder-2 tbs
Crushed chilly flakes- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Vinegar- 2 tsp  
Gram Masala- 2 tsp
Thick coconut milk- 1/3 cup
Curry leaves- 2 springs
Potatoes sliced -2 medium
Oil for frying
Salt to taste.

Cut shallots and chop onions into thin slices. Roast fennel, pepper, turmeric, chilly powder, and coriander powder till aromatic and make a fine paste along with ginger and garlic.
Clean the duck and cut it into pieces (you can clean by rubbing the whole duck with rice flour and salt or lemon juice)

Marinate the duck with the roasted and ground paste, garam masala, and vinegar. Keep aside for about an hour. You can cook the meat in a pressure cooker or an instant pot. Cook in medium flame for three to four whistles or cook in high in the instant pot for 12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. The duck will take a longer time to cook than the chicken.
Heat oil in a pan and fry potatoes cut into wedges. Add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and fry till golden brown and keep aside. Fry one sliced onion, sliced green chilly, dry red chilly, and curry leaves till crispy and keep aside. Now remove the cooked duck with a slotted spoon and save the gravy. In the same oil, arrange the cooked duck in a single layer and gently fry them till both sides are evenly brown on the outside. Remove them from the pan. Simmer the leftover gravy. When the gravy gets a thick consistency place back the duck simmer in a low flame till all the gravy gets coated on the duck meat. Add the fried onions and curry leaves and mix. Serve with fried potatoes. It goes well with appam, ghee rice, or steamed rice.

Whole Duck roast with Kerala Spice Mix

Ingredients
Duck - 2 lb
Fried Onions-1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tbs
Tomato paste- 2 tbs
Chilly powder- 2 tbs
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Lemon juice- 1/2 lemon  
Oil 2 tbs
Salt to taste.
Lemon wedges-3-4 slices
Carrot- 1 medium
Garlic pods- 4
Salt to taste 

Clean the duck and pat dry with a paper towel, both the outside and the cavities. Score the skin with a sharp knife and make a few gashes. If you wish, you can keep the skin on. Sprinkle salt and pepper both outside and the inside.

Thinly slice one onion and fry till crispy and golden brown. Make a fine powder along with fennel seeds and black pepper. In a mixing bowl, add the fried onions, chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste, oil, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well and marinate the duck with this paste. Spread it evenly on the top and also inside the cavities. If you are roasting with skin on, with your fingertips, spread the marinade within the gashes. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for two hours.

Layer the roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place the duck on the rack of a roasting pan. Squeeze some more lemon juice and oil if needed and loosely stuff the cavities with lemon wedges, a slice of onion, cubed carrot, and four garlic cloves.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Start with high temperature and then reduce. Bake for 20 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F heat and bake for another 40-50 minutes. If there is juice in the bottom of the pan, you can use this to baste the duck. Brush or pour this juice over the duck to keep the meat moist. The meat is cooked, when the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat 165 degrees F(use a meat thermometer) or till the juice runs clear. If you want to roast it crispy on the outside turn oven setting to broil for 4-5 minutes. Take it out of the oven, and loosely cover it with aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes. Serve with fried rice, mashed potatoes, or roasted veggies.

Also try Kerala Duck Mappas