This recipe has the best of both Thai and Malaysian flavours in one bowl. It is inspired by authentic red curry from Phuket, but with a twist – the addition of lychee turns this into Malaysian-Chinese fusion dish.
The sweetness of the lychee nicely balances out the richness of the spice paste and provides a refreshing aftertaste. It might sound bizarre but it is absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
For the paste:
- 8 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water and drained
- 1 cili padi, roughly chopped
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon galangal, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon coriander root, chopped
- 1 lime rind, grated
- 12 whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon rock salt
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
For the curry:
- 400ml coconut milk
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar
- 2 roasted duck drumsticks
- 2 roasted duck breasts
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 2 long eggplant, cut into large chunks
- 8 ladies fingers, sliced into halves
- 3 fresh kaffir lime leaves, diced
- 1 fresh red chilli, sliced lengthwise
- 1 can of lychee, drained
- 1/4 cup firmly packed fresh Thai basil leaves
Method
- To make the spice paste, place the cumin, coriander and peppercorns in a frying pan and dry-fry over medium heat for two minutes or until fragrant.
- Using a pestle and mortar, crush the chillies, onion, lemongrass and galangal to a fine paste.
- Add the garlic, coriander root and lime rind, then the rest of the dry ingredients and shrimp paste. Pound until very smooth.
- Heat four tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring continuously for 15 minutes until oil rises to the surface.
- Add coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer. Add the roasted duck, tomatoes, eggplants, ladies fingers and lime leaves.
- Simmer for five minutes, then add the lychee and sliced red chilli. Stir to combine.
- Add the Thai basil only after the curry is off the heat. This will keep the leaves from turning black.
- Serve hot with steamed rice.
This article first appeared in butterkicap.com.
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