Indonesian Recipes (Bali, Java) - Braised Duck with Banana Flowers and Pomegranate (Semur Giring Bebek) Recipe

  
 

Indonesian Recipes (Bali, Java) - Braised Duck with Banana Flowers and Pomegranate (Semur Giring Bebek) Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 duck, about 1.9 kg/4 1/4 lb

  • 5 cloves garlic

  • 7 shallots

  • 1 red chilies

  • 1 piece ginger root, about 5 cm/2 in long

  • 1 pomegranate

  • 1 banana flower

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 3 nutmeg flowers

  • 1 teaspoon pepper

  • 2 star anis

  • 1 stick cinnamon

  • 2-3 slices dried orange peel

  • 1 piece galangal root, about 5 cm/2 in long

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 cup duck stock (broth) from the cooked duck

  • 1 tablespoon kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)

  • 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar, (or balsamic vinegar)

  • 125-250 ml/4-8 fl oz (1/2-1 cup) rice wine

  • 5 tablespoons oil

Serves 4-6

Method:

  1. Clean the duck, cut off the ends of the wings and remove the breastbones. Put the bones to one side. Peel the garlic and shallots and cut into quarters (leaving one or two shallots whole). Cut the chilies into thin slices, peel and crush the ginger.

  2. Peel the remaining shallots and cut into thin rings. Cut the pomegranate in half and press one half. Peal off the petals of the banana flowers, in the same way as a globe artichoke is eaten.

  3. Next fry the quartered shallots and garlic in oil until golden brown, then add the remaining dry ingredients (chilies, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, pepper, star anise, cinnamon, orange peel, ginger root, galangal root) and continue frying.

  4. Stuff the duck with the fried mixture and close the opening. Roast the duck in a roasting tin for about 1 hour in the oven preheated to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

  5. Meanwhile boil the reserved duck bones in water until the liquid is sufficiently reduced. Remove the bones and strain the stock.

  6. Pour the stock into a bowl and add the soy sauce, vinegar and juice of half a pomegranate. After cooking for an hour, add the seasoned stock and rice wine to the duck in the roasting tin, together with the banana flower petals.

  7. Roast the duck in the oven or a further 30 minutes until tender (test with a fork). Finally add the pips of half a pomegranate to the sauce. Garnish with the shallot rings.