Curried Duck Legs With Ginger and Rhubarb
Published June 9, 2009
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 2 hours, plus overnight refrigeration (optional)
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
4 pounds whole duck legs, with thighs (about 8), or whole chicken legs (5 or 6)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, diced (about 4 cups)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 4-inch-long piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup unsweetened coconut milk
½ pound rhubarb, sliced ½ -inch thick (2 cups)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Chopped fresh cilantro or chives, for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)
15 grams carbs; 211 milligrams cholesterol; 594 calories; 18 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 42 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 889 milligrams sodium; 39 grams protein; 6 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Using kitchen shears, trim away all fat and skin that hangs from sides of duck legs, leaving only skin on top of meat. Toss duck legs with 1 teaspoon salt.
- Step 2
Heat oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat. Add as many duck pieces as fit easily. Brown on one side, about 7 minutes. Turn and brown other side. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat if necessary.
- Step 3
While duck browns, combine 1 cup onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, vinegar, cayenne, turmeric, black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ cup water in a blender, and process until smooth.
- Step 4
When duck is done, spoon out all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from skillet. Add remaining onions and a large pinch of salt. Sauté until soft, 5 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
- Step 5
Add coconut milk and 2 cups water, and bring to a simmer. Add rhubarb, brown sugar, duck legs and any juices that may have accumulated in bowl. Bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat to low, and simmer gently for 1 hour, turning duck pieces halfway through. Uncover pan, turn duck again, and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Step 6
Spoon fat off sauce and serve duck or, better, chill duck overnight and degrease sauce before reheating all on a low flame. Serve garnished with cilantro or chives.
Private Notes
Comments
I liked the sauce OK, but would use only chicken next time. I regretted burying the duck under all the stuff in the sauce, especially as it costs a good deal more, and renders more fat.
Very tasty, but meat was not fall-off-the-bone tender; maybe needed more cooking time. Rhubarb adds nice, subtle fruity flavor and body to sauce.
A keeper! Made this almost exactly as written, with chicken rather than duck legs and garnished with mint; used the rest of the can of cocunut milk for rice and served with chana dal. I might up the rhubarb a bit to give the sauce a bit more body & acidity, but otherwise perfect.