Vaathu Kari Vadava Kozhambu ( Duck curry)

Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae family of birds. They belong to the family of Swans and Geese. The body fat of a duck is dispersed in a uniform layer between the skin and flesh. It is therefore very easy for people concerned about their line to remove the skin (after cooking). The fat adds not only taste to the meat but it?s also nutritious in a way because the fat of a duck is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids called "good cholesterol".

Let?s come to our recipe:
Ingredients:
1 ½ kg duck meat (washed)
2 sprigs curry leaves
3 onions
3 tomatoes
Salt (as needed)
½ tsp turmeric powder
A handful of tamarind
Lemon juice
A bunch of Coriander leaves
5 tbsp Oil
4 Potatoes (optional)

To fry in a tbsp of oil: (each batch separately)
I Fresh coconut pieces of 1 full coconut

II Garlic pods of one full garlic
Ginger pieces(half the quantity of garlic)

III 2 tbsp Black pepper (or according to taste)
5 Dry red chilies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 stick cinnamon
4 cloves

IV a handful of vadavam

Method:
Prepare the tamarind extract by adding 2 cups of slightly salted warm water to tamarind and leave it while you prepare the other items for about ten minutes to soften the tamarind. Extract a thick juice out of it and reserve.
Chop the onions lengthwise very finely and the tomatoes as well.

If Potatoes are going to be added, then simply wash them well and cut each of them into 4 medium sized cubes. (We need them with the skin for this curry)

Prepare the items under ?To fry in a tbsp of oil: (each batch separately)? by frying on medium heat each batch of items in a tbsp of oil.

Blend the items in batch II and III together to a fine paste, by adding very little water if necessary.
Likewise, blend the vadavam to a fine paste and keep it separately.
As for the fried coconuts, add some water and grind the coconut. Extract the milk of the coconut by filtering the milk with a filter or a colander. Do it twice or thrice by adding some water each time to the coconut.
Now, mix together the extracted coconut milk and the tamarind extract. Reserve.

Heat Oil, add the onions and the curry leaves, (here, we don?t need to brown the onions), when translucent, add the tomatoes, fry until oil oozes out. Add the duck meat, salt and turmeric and stir for about 3 minutes. Add the paste of batches II and II, stir well and add the coconut milk/tamarind extracts. Check saltiness, close and cook for about an hour.
If there are potatoes, add them to the sauce after 45 minutes of cooking.
After 1 hour, add the vadavam paste, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Squeeze a tbsp of lemon juice and garnish with some fresh coriander.

This curry is excellent with Parotta, Naan, Idli, Dosai or simply with plain rice.