This recipe for duck laap is very basic and there are many different recipes for the same dish. The cooking of the duck meat in a small amount of water is a very quick way to cook the meat. It's time efficient and can easily be prepared over a low ember fire as is still the method in Laos.
Duck Laap is probably the most favourite laap in both Laos and Thailand.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup minced duck meat, and a little bit of skin as a source of fat and definite flavour.
- 1/4 cup water (for cooking duck)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted sticky rice powder
- 1 teaspoon roasted chillie powder
- 1/8 cup mint leaves, packed
- 2 teaspoons chopped scallions (green onions)
- 1 tablespoons sliced shallots
- 1 teaspoon sliced long coriander
- 5cm (2 in) wedges of cabbage (side vegetable)
- Handful of long-beans
- 2-3 small dried chillies (garnish or side)
Method:
- Prepare the toasted rice powder if you don't have any on hand.
- Toast the chillie powder until slightly darker and. Stir constantly if toasted in a wok. Check frequently if toasting in an oven. Don't allow it to burn or smoke.
- Boil the water in a saucepan and add the meat. Stir continually separating any clumps as they may form, until it’s cooked through. Strain and add to a bowl, reserve some of the liquid. Let it cool to slightly warm or room temperature.
- Slice the shallots thinly. Slice the scallions into 1cm (1/2 in) pieces. Dice the coriander finely. Prepare the washed mint as separated leaves, cut into ½ cm (¼ in) segments. Set aside.
- Add the chillie powder, sugar, lime juice, toasted rice powder, fish sauce, mint, scallions, shallots and long coriander to the bowl. Stir well. Add a small volume of the reserved cooking juices as a gravy to keep the moisture content and flavour in place.
- Serve with sticky rice, wedges of cabbage, a few long beans, small fresh whole chillies and individual small garlic cloves.
