Kuttanadu Duck Roast
My mother’s house is at Melpadom, in Kuttanadu. A traditional house on a serene riverside. A house with an 'ara' and a 'nira' (used for storage of rice). river Pampa is just few yards away from house and I cherish the memories of every trip I had there.
Everything from rice and vegetables to fish and meat are farmed or caught fresh from the river.
I remember vendors travelling in boats, selling almost everything in their boats, whistling a peculiar tune and stopping by every house by the bank to announce their presence and their wares.
One of the most beautiful scenes that come to my mind is the sight of ducks swimming in the river. It is just amazing how its keeper rows along in a small boat(kodumpu vallam) and guides the large group together in the right direction. Not a single one swims astray.
The kuttanadu cuisine stands apart in a class of its own. The aroma of fresh coconut and coconut oil, fresh masala, fresh fish and meat. I would recommend anyone who is visiting Kerala to take a trip in the house boat along these beautiful back waters and taste this amazing fabulous cuisine.
Here is one of my favorites… my mom and aunty Sisy make it superbly…. I have made it many times along with my mom, talking about the days at melpadom.
They do not have any written down recipe, every ingredient is added by instinct, adding in loads of love and passion…which makes balance of flavors just amazing.
Ingredients
- Duck - 1 large (1 to 1.5 kg with skin on), cut into medium sized pieces
- Shallots - A handful (Sliced)
- Onions - 2 to 3 medium (Sliced)
- Garlic- 1 large pod (crushed)
- Ginger - 2 inch piece (crushed & chopped)
- Cardamom - 4 to 5
- Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
- Cloves - 6 to 8 nos
- Fennel - 1 teaspoon
- Maze - few strands
- Star Anise - 1
- Whole Pepper - 2 Table spoon
- Chilli powder - 2 teaspoons
- Coriander powder - 3 teaspoons
- Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
- Vinegar - 3 to 4 tablespoons
- Mustard seeds - ½ teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Coconut oil
- Ghee (optional)
- Curry leaves
- Potato - 1 large
Instructions
Take half of the shallots, onion, garlic, ginger, spice powders and whole of the spices. Add salt and grind it to a coarse paste using little water. Take 3/4th of the ground masala and marinate the duck pieces and set it aside for few hours.
Heat a heavy bottomed tava and add coconut oil and ghee.
Shallow fry the marinated duck pieces in batches till it turns golden brown, and set aside.
In the same oil, splutter mustard seeds, add some curry leaves, add and sauté remaining onions, shallots, garlic and ginger till it is golden brown. Add the remaining spice powders and remaining ground masala mix and sauté for a few minutes until you get a wonderful spicy aroma. Add the fried duck pieces, vinegar and season with salt. Sauté on high heat for a few minutes. Add enough water and cover and cook. Give a mix in between and add water as required. This is a fairly dry preparation and you don’t need too much gravy. When it is almost done, increase the heat and continuously stir on medium heat till you get the required consistency.
Meanwhile add coconut oil and ghee in another tava and fry potato wedges till it is cooked through and golden brown. Fry some curry leaves too.
Transfer the duck roast to the serving dish and garnish with the fried potato wedges and curry leaves.
Serve with hot appams or rice or kappa.
Notes:
1) Best results are with naadan (native/gavti) duck meat, cooked with skin on. It is not easy to clean the feathers, but patience pays.
2) If you feel the meat is a bit gamy, marinate in turmeric and pepper powder, add some butter milk and wash off before marinating.
