Kuttanad duck roast (tharavu roast)
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
Duck from the backwater farms of Kuttanad, cooked with pepper, spices and onions and finished in coconut milk, a Christmas and Easter speciality.
Region: Kerala, Kuttanad (Alappuzha and Kottayam districts)Occasion: Christmas, Easter and weddingsTime: 1 hr 30 minServes: 6Non-vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 kg duck, cut in pieces
- 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp pepper powder, 1 tbsp vinegar, salt
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 onions, sliced; 2 tbsp ginger and garlic, crushed; 4 green chillies
- 2 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 cup thin and ½ cup thick coconut milk; curry leaves
Method
- Marinate the duck with turmeric, pepper, vinegar and salt for 30 minutes.
- Pressure-cook the duck with a little water until tender, keeping the stock.
- Fry the potatoes in coconut oil until golden and set aside. In the same oil, fry the onions, ginger, garlic, chillies and curry leaves until golden.
- Add the spice powders and cook for a minute, then the duck and its stock, and the thin coconut milk.
- Cook until the gravy thickens and coats the duck. Add the potatoes and thick coconut milk, warm through and serve with appam or bread.
History
Duck farming in the paddy fields and canals of Kuttanad is a long tradition: flocks feed on the harvested fields and the backwaters.
Significance
Duck roast is a festive dish of Kerala’s Syrian Christian families, especially at Christmas and Easter, and duck rearing supports many Kuttanad farmers.