East Indian Duck Moile
The recipe for East Indian bottle masala is a closely guarded secret within Mumbai’s East Indian Catholic community, passed down through generations rather than shared with outsiders. Fortunately, you don’t need an family heirloom recipe to try it—you can easily buy it online, or substitute it with Goan xacuti masala."
Ingredients
To wash the duck
1 litre water
2 tbsp vinegar
Green Masala
500g Onions Cut in rings
1 Inch Ginger Cut in strips
6 Green Chilies Cut in strips
10 Garlic Cloves cut into strips
To cook the Duck
2 Kg Duck, cut in medium pieces
3 Tbsp Ghee or butter
2 Tbsp Sugar
5 Tbsp East Indian Bottle Masala (available online)
500 ml Water or Wine
4 Tbsp Vinegar or Wine
2 tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Salt approx
Cooking Steps
Step 1
Wash the duck several times in a mixture of water and vinegar. Drain in a colander and keep aside.
Step 2
Green Masala: Cut the onions into rings. Cut the garlic, ginger, and green chilies into strips and keep aside.
Step 3
Cook the Duck: Put the pieces of duck in a deep pan with salt and cook till all the water released from the duck has evaporated (about 20 minutes.)
Add 3-4 tbsp ghee (or oil & butter) to the pan and fry the meat for another 10 minutes until the duck is browned. Add 2 tsp of sugar and cook until the sugar melts and caramelizes
Remove the cooked duck and keep aside.
Add the onion rings to the same pan with the ghee and fry till soft and translucent for about 15 minutes.
Now, add the cut ginger, garlic, and chilies and fry for about 5 minutes.
Add 3 dessert spoons of East Indian bottle masala (available online) and fry gently for about 5 minutes until aromatic. Add more masala if you want it spicier.
Add 1 cup of water or wine, and when it boils in 5-10 minutes add the duck pieces back into the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for a further 5 minutes until the meat is tender.
Add the vinegar, garam masala, and salt and simmer on a low flame until the fat begins to separate and floats to the top. (approx. 20 minutes).
Serve with a fresh salad or sliced onions and lemon and white rice or foogias East Indian balloon bread.
NOTES
Female ducks are generally plumper and tastier than male ducks.
Cut the onions, ginger, garlic, and green chilies before you start cooking the duck.