One-pan fragrant duck & vegetable curry

‘It’s not the usual choice, but duck has to be my favourite meat to put in a curry.

Cooking the curry paste in sizzling duck fat is a decadent way to awaken its aroma, and after adding coconut milk, it transforms into a rich, comforting sauce. All that richness is balanced by the vegetables and these tend to be whatever I have to hand, or what’s in season, but soft, sauce-absorbing chunks of potato are always a must. I’ve also made this curry using a much slower oven-cooked method with duck legs in place of the breasts – I just add the veg at the end.’

SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 1 hr EASY

2 duck breasts

2 tsp light brown soft sugar

3 tbsp red Thai or massaman

curry paste

2 tsp fish sauce

1 aubergine, trimmed and cut

into wedges

500g small potatoes, halved 400g can coconut milk

2 lime leaves (optional)

200g green beans, trimmed

and halved

½ lime, juiced sliced red chillies, coriander leaves and roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped, to serve cooked rice, to serve

1 Heat a wok or frying pan over a low heat and lay the duck breasts in the pan skin-side down. Reduce the heat to low and sizzle gently for 10-15 mins until the skin is golden and the fat has rendered into the pan. Remove the breasts to a plate and leave to cool. 2 With the pan still on a low heat, scatter the sugar over the leftover duck fat and stir in the curry paste and fish sauce. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 mins until fragrant, then add the aubergine and potatoes, and stir to coat. Let the veg absorb some of the paste for a few minutes, then pour over the coconut milk and half a can of water, add the lime leaves (if using) and bring to a simmer.

3 Meanwhile, finely slice the duck breasts. Stir the meat and resting juices into the curry and simmer for 40 mins, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just cooked and the duck is tender. Stir in the green beans and simmer for 10 mins more until the beans are cooked. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lime juice, taste and add more lime, sugar or fish sauce if needed. Scatter over the chillies, coriander and peanuts. Serve with cooked rice.

GOOD TO KNOW fibre • iron • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free

PER SERVING 573 kcals • fat 41g • saturates 22g

• carbs 27g • sugars 9g • fibre 8g • protein 20g • salt 1.2g