Ingredients
- •4 duck legs (thigh and drumstick)
- •2 tsp kosher salt
- •1 tsp white pepper
- •For panang curry:
- •3 tbsp panang curry paste (Mae Ploy or Maesri)
- •1 can (14 oz) coconut cream (not coconut milk - use the thick stuff)
- •1 tbsp fish sauce
- •1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- •4 kaffir lime leaves, torn (or 4 strips lime zest)
- •¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
- •1 red bell pepper, sliced
- •For serving:
- •Fresh Thai basil leaves
- •Sliced red Thai chilies
- •Steamed jasmine rice
- •Extra crushed peanuts
Instructions
Season duck legs with kosher salt and white pepper.
Place in vacuum-seal bags (2 per bag).
Seal and preheat sous vide bath to 162°F (72°C).
Submerge and cook for 12 h until confit-tender.
When done, remove duck legs and pat dry. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered duck fat.
Heat the reserved duck fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear duck legs skin-side down for 3–4 min until the skin is deeply crispy and golden.
Remove duck legs and set aside.
In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of the coconut cream (the thick part from the top of the can).
Let it split and sizzle for 2 min until the oil separates.
Add panang curry paste and fry in the coconut oil for 1–2 min until deeply fragrant.
Add remaining coconut cream, fish sauce, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves, and sliced bell pepper.
Simmer 5 min until the sauce thickens slightly.
Stir in crushed peanuts.
Return the seared duck legs to the curry, spooning sauce over them.
Simmer gently for 3–4 min to marry flavors.
Serve over steamed jasmine rice.
Top with Thai basil, sliced chilies, and extra crushed peanuts.
Notes
- •Coconut cream (not milk) makes the sauce properly thick and rich
- •Splitting the coconut cream before adding the paste blooms the spices in the fat
- •Panang curry is the thickest, richest Thai curry - duck fat makes it even more luxurious
- •The 12-hour confit means the duck practically falls off the bone into the curry