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Duck, on familiar pitch

In those times, when we were kids and comics hadn’t become extinct, countless hours were spent in the company of Donald Duck and his loveable family.

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Pushpesh Pant

In those times, when we were kids and comics hadn’t become extinct, countless hours were spent in the company of Donald Duck and his loveable family. For our cricket crazy compatriots though, the only duck worth remembering is the unfortunate batsman getting out without scoring. For those of us obsessed with food, it is a delicious bird that has the potential of dethroning the regal chicken tandoori. Such is the domination of the bird that comes out of the clay oven that most of us have forgotten that duck is considered a very special treat in many parts of India.

In the days of the British Raj, Indian princes currying favour with White masters arranged duck shoots. These birds were slaughtered by the thousands in a single day and were brought to the verge of extinction. Maybe this wanton bloodshed is the reason we have courted culinary amnesia in this case.

In Kashmiri Pandit wazwan, we have encountered ponchi dum pukht, and Down South, in Kerala, among the many gems of Suriani kitchen is the roasted whole duck. In Tamil Nadu, the merchant princes of Chettinadu relished their favourite aromatic and pleasantly pungent peppercorn duck redolent with star anise. What we call hansa kosha mangsho in Bengal is not a swan, but, duck. In the neighbouring Assam, the bird is cooked in gravy, served as a roast and also enjoyed spiced sharply and minced before being cooked in banana leaf.

One innovative chef has enriched his recipe for duck roast by infusing a small cup of full bodied Assam tea. We must admit that the fusion seemed to work perfectly in this case. The recipe succeeded in evoking nostalgia about the good old days in the tea plantations. Our friend Aditya Mehendele, a scion of the legendary Peshwas, introduced us to batakh masala rasa, which is a stunning fusion of Kolhapuri robustness with Mughal refinement. Alex, a German chef at Ann Maya, once treated us to duck keema samosa accompanied by sweet and sour plum sauce that easily put in shade any other triangle. 

Most famous of all duck recipes is arguably the peking duck. Each part of the bird is served as a separate course and is accompanied by assorted complements and relishes. Presenting the duck and carving and serving it is an elaborate ritual and this ceremonial dish deserves a leisurely meal.

In all of Southeast Asia, the duck is enjoyed in myriad forms. The recipes are easy to follow and will pass muster with those who are health conscious as not a drop of excess fat is used and sauces are refreshingly different. 

There was a time not long ago when pate foie gras was prized among snooty gourmet and placed at par with caviar and truffles. Then the animal rights activists took up the case of poor goose being force fed to give it a fatty liver that made some carnivores drool. As a result, the import of this stuff has been banned.

Cooking a duck well takes a lot more time than a chicken but is well worth the trouble. It is often paired with oranges and plums or is brought to the table draped in a honey glaze. So, indulge and let out a deeply satisfied quack. No one is going to haul you up for practising medicine without required qualifications! Don’t let the sitting duck get away!

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