Red Curry with Roasted Duck (Gang Phet Pet Yang)

Debone the roasted duck. First, cut the skin between the leg/drumstick and the breast. Then, open it up like a book until the thigh bone pops off. Cut through the joint to separate the leg/thigh from the body. Repeat on the other side. For the breast, cut along the side of the keel bone and peel the breast meat off. Remove any chunky pieces of meat from the bones and set aside. Break the large bones in half if needed to fit into a pot.

Place the duck bones and wings into a pot. Add 6 cups of water, ensuring the bones are covered. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for 30-45 minutes to create a flavorful duck stock. The longer it simmers, the stronger the stock will be.

While the stock is simmering, cut the duck meat (thigh and breast meat, excluding one breast saved for garnish) into bite-sized pieces. The thigh meat can be cut rustically, while the breast meat can be sliced nicely for presentation.

Once the duck stock is ready, remove all bones and wings from the pot. You should have a beautiful, flavorful duck stock.

In a clean pot, bring 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk to a full boil over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of red curry paste and 1/2 teaspoon of shrimp paste (if using). Stir continuously until the mixture is very thick and the coconut oil starts to separate from the paste, which should take about 5-7 minutes.

Add the remaining thick coconut milk, thin coconut milk, and the prepared duck stock to the pot. Season with 1.5 tablespoons of palm sugar and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. Bring the curry to a boil to ensure the palm sugar is completely dissolved.

Add the diced pineapple pieces and the cut duck meat (excluding the reserved sliced breast for garnish) to the boiling curry. Let the curry simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the duck to absorb the curry flavor.

While the curry is simmering, pierce each cherry or grape tomato with a paring knife. This prevents them from exploding when heated.

Turn off the heat. Add the pierced tomatoes and Thai basil leaves to the curry. Stir gently to incorporate. The residual heat will warm the tomatoes and basil without overcooking them.

Taste the curry and adjust seasoning as needed with more fish sauce or palm sugar to achieve your desired balance of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors.

Ladle the curry into a wide, shallow bowl. Arrange the reserved sliced duck breast pieces on top of the curry. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Thai basil and the saved duck drumstick (optional). Brush some curry sauce over the duck slices for a shinier, more integrated look.

Serve immediately with hot jasmine rice.