150 minutes
A flavorful and aromatic duck dish with a rice and dried fruit stuffing, perfect for a festive meal.
Duck, including liver, gizzard, and heart
0 lb
tablespoons
Whole Cumin Seeds
teaspoons
teaspoons
Fenugreek Seeds
0 seeds
Onion, finely chopped
each
Fresh Ginger, grated or minced
each
Hot Green Chili, cut into thin rounds
each
tablespoons
Chinese Parsley (Coriander Greens Or Cilantro), minced
tablespoons
Cooked Rice
cups
Golden Raisins
tablespoons
Dried Apricots, chopped to the size of raisins
tablespoons
Pine Nuts Or Slivered Blanched Almonds
tablespoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
1. Prepare the duck
First, make sure your duck is at room temperature. Pat it dry thoroughly, and prick the skin all over to allow the fat to render during cooking, resulting in a crispy skin.
2. Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 450°F.
3. Bloom the spices
In a 10–12 inch skillet, heat the vegetable oil over a medium-high flame. Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and fenugreek seeds. Stir them for about 10–20 seconds until the cumin seeds turn dark brown; this step blooms the spices, releasing their flavors fully.
4. Cook the aromatics
Add the finely chopped onions, grated ginger, and the optional green chili or cayenne pepper to the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the onions are browned. Then, add the minced liver, gizzard, and heart, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
5. Add tomato sauce and parsley
Stir in the tomato sauce and minced Chinese parsley, and let it cook together for 2 more minutes.
6. Mix in the rice, fruits, and nuts
Reduce the heat to low and mix in the cooked rice, golden raisins, chopped dried apricots, and pine nuts or almonds. Let these ingredients warm through for about 5 minutes.
7. Season the stuffing
Season the mixture with 0.5 teaspoon of salt, freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice, and sugar. Adjust the seasoning to taste, remembering that the stuffing should be well-seasoned since it will flavor the duck from the inside.
8. Stuff and truss the duck
Now, stuff this fragrant mixture into the cavity of the duck. Truss the duck to keep the stuffing inside, and place it breast side up in a roasting pan.
9. Roast the duck
Roast the duck in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, allowing the skin to brown and become crispy.
10. Lower the oven temperature
After the initial roasting period, lower the oven temperature to 350°F and continue roasting for about 1.5 hours, or until the juices run clear yellow when the duck is pricked.
11. Transfer and serve
Once done, transfer the duck to a serving platter and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Serve your festive spiced duck with green beans, peas, or simple greens for a delightful meal.
Learn to clean, season, and truss the bird for roasting. This technique is universal whether you're preparing duck, chicken, turkey, or even Cornish hens.
Understand the balance of flavors and textures in the stuffing—how the sweetness of the dried fruit complements the savory spices and herbs, and how the rice absorbs both the fruit juices and the savory notes from the poultry.
Master the timing and temperature control needed to achieve a crispy skin on the outside while ensuring the meat is cooked through without drying out. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
A whole chicken is a classic substitute and widely available. Adjust cooking times as chicken generally cooks faster than duck.
Use a Baharat spice mix, which includes paprika, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, to give it a Middle Eastern flair.
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