Disembark in Penang with acclaimed chef André Chiang. Among his storied anecdotes and rich lessons on local cultures, the Taiwan-born culinary curator of the Eastern & Oriental Express tells us all about a staple of Malaysian cuisine – the duck curry dish.
FOR THE PENANG CURRY PASTE
2–3 dried red chillies, soaked in water until soft
2 tbsp of lemongrass, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
3cm piece galangal (or ginger)
1 tsp of lime juice (or lime zest)
1 tbsp of coriander seeds, toasted
1 tsp of cumin seeds, toasted
½ tsp of shrimp paste (optional)
1 tbsp of peanuts, roasted
1 tsp of ground turmeric
1 tsp of salt
FOR THE CURRY
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
1–2 tbsp of your Penang curry paste
450ml coconut milk
450g Chinese roast duck, skin and bones removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
150g of fruit like pineapple, grapes or lychees
150g of vegetables like carrots, peppers, snap peas or baby corn
2 tbsp of fish sauce
1 tbsp of palm sugar (or brown sugar)
4–5 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces (optional)
100g Thai basil leaves
1 small Thai red chilli, sliced
Method
1.
Make the Penang curry paste in a blender or mortar and pestle, combining all the curry paste ingredients. Blend or pound until a smooth paste has formed.
2.
For the curry, heat the vegetable oil in a wok or in a deep pan over medium heat. Add 1–2 tbsp of the Penang curry paste (depending on how strong you like it) and sauté for about 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
3.
Slowly pour in the coconut milk, stirring constantly, and bring to a simmer. Cook the curry until it’s reduced slightly, for about 10 minutes, before adding the roast duck to the pan.
4.
Add the fruit and vegetables according to their cooking time (e.g. baby corn first and peppers later). Add the fish sauce and palm sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Toss in the torn kaffir lime leaves for a burst of citrus flavour.
5.
Taste the curry and adjust seasoning as needed—add more fish sauce for saltiness, and more sugar for sweetness.
6.
Serve the Penang duck curry hot, garnished with Thai basil leaves and red chilli.
