3.6/5 rating (22 votes)

Indian Duck Breast with Tamarind Jam

  • Heat Mild
  • Serves 4
  • Dietary Info LACTOSE-FREE
  • Prep 10 mins
  • Cook 20 mins

Beautiful pan fried duck breast served with a thick tangy tamarind jam

Hari says

This is one of my all time favourite dishes and even though I know it's not typically Indian it's a dish that is very special to me. I created this for my very first pop up menu which took place at a local French restaurant for a Indo-French fusion evening and it went down an absolute storm.

This dish represents the French influence on Indian food in the Pondicherry region of south east India. The French colonised this region in 1607 until 1954. Over the 300 years of French rule this area gave rise to a special Creole community of Franco-Indian people. This community still remains in Pondicherry as does the French influence on the architecture as well as the cuisine.

I do think food history is facinating but before I ramble on you need to get your self some lovely duck breasts and give this dish a go.

  • Ingredients
  • Method

Tamarind Jam

  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1 fresh tomato, chopped
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ salt
  • ½ chilli, finely sliced
  • ½ tsp kashmiri chilli powder or paprika
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste  
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Duck Breasts

  • 4 duck breasts
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 2 star anise 

Method

Tamarind Jam

  1. Heat oil and fry the onion and garlic gently until they caramelise and turn a dark brown, this will take about 10-15 minutes.
  2. Reduce the heat, add tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, salt, chopped chilli, chilli powder and cook down until the tomatoes and onions melt down to create a thick pulp.
  3. Add the tamarind and a splash of water. Leave to cook down to create a chutney texture on a gentle heat – add a little more water if required. 
  4. Once thick remove from the heat and add the garam masala. You can set this to once side and reheat to serve. 

Duck Breast

  1. Heat oven to 200ºc and score the duck breast on the skin side, diagonally being careful not to go down to the flesh. Trim the edges of any excess skin.
  2. Season the breasts on both sides with some salt, pepper, Kashmiri Chilli powder and place into a cold pan skin side down. Put the heat on a gentle flame and heat to render down the fat.
  3. As it begins to cook add the star anise to the pan.
  4. As the fat begins to reder out the skin, pour it out into a jar (keep this in the fridge to cook your roasties). Leave to render until the skin is a golden brown and crisp. Turn the breast so it's skin side up and cook for another 5 minutes in the pan.
  5. Keeping it skin side up place the breast onto a baking sheet and cook for 5-6 minutes in the oven (longer if you prefer it cooked through).
  6. Remove from the oven and leave it to rest for 5-10 minutes so the meat can relax. The duck will be cooked through yet be beautifully pink inside.
  7. Serve with the tamarind jam.

Nutritional information

Typical values* per Serving
Calories323
Fat (g)13
of which saturates (g)0
Carbohydrates (g)11
of which sugars (g)1
Fibre (g)1
Protein (g)41
Salt (mg)239
*Based upon calculated values, supplied by myfitnesspal.com. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated.

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Comments

Comments (2)

  • Amy

    20 August 2017 at 05:46 |
    The instructions about the jam are confusing, is that half a easpoon of salt, and when is the garam masala added

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      20 August 2017 at 09:53 |
      Hi Amy Yes it says 1/2tsp salt, or add to taste. Garam masala at the end once cooked. Hope that helps Hari

      reply

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