Baked Rice with Mango & Duck

Baked Rice with Mango & Duck

INGREDIENTS

For the rice:

• 200g basmati rice, cooked halfway
• 2 Tbsp full fat yoghurt
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp canola oil

For the duck:

• 4 duck breasts
• Butter

For the mango glaze:

• In a blender combine,2 cups chopped mangoes
• A splash of rice vinegar
• A splash of soy sauce
• Honey to taste
• Approx. 1/2 - 1 cup Water add when cooking
• 2 tsp crushed garlic2 tsp ginger
• 2-3 red chillies, finely chopped depending on the spice level you prefer
• Saffron strands, soaked in 30 ml water

Serve with 1 mango, peeled and cut into bite sized cubes combined with A handful of fresh pomegranate seeds. Fresh mint Lemon, cut into wedges.

METHOD

1. For the rice, combine rice and yoghurt in mixing bowl. Heat oil and butter in a medium sized non-stick pot then add the rice to the pot and press down firmly with a spoon. Cook on a low heat for 30-40 minutes or until the rice begins to brown along the sides of the pot. Set aside while you prepare the duck.

2. For duck, combine the mango, rice vinegar & soy sauce in a blender until smooth.

• Place a non-stick pan the a low temperature then, season the duck breast with salt and put it into the pan skin side down to render the fat. This may take about 10-15 depending on the fat layer and the temperature. Once the fat has rendered and the skin in golden brown flip the duck breast over to cook the other side- this will be quick about 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the duck breast. Remove from the pan once cooked and let rest for about 10 minutes then slice to serve.
• Place the mango mixture into the pan, add the ginger garlic, chilli and saffron water, season with salt and stir to combine. Remove from the heat once warm- we don’t want to cook the mango

3. To serve, invert the pot with the rice onto a serving plate, arrange the mango & pomegranate mixture on top of the crispy rice then garnish with mint leaves and fresh lemon wedges. Serve with the sauce and duck on the side.

RECIPE NOTES

• This rice dish is inspired by Persian- style baked rice. The best part about this dish is the crispy, golden brown rice.
• The mangoes here are some of the best in the world. They are refreshing & juicy with the consistency of butter when ripe. Mangoes are a perfect contrast for the rich duck breast.
• South African Mangoes are mainly grown in the North Eastern part of the country.
• Mangoes are a summer fruit. They are sold locally to be eaten fresh; exported; dried; juiced or sold unripe for atchar.
• Rendering fat is a process which draws out the moisture in fat like duck skin. It is best to do this on a low temperature so you don’t burn the skin. The result is a crispy golden brown skin and excess duck fat which can be used for cooking immediately like we’ve done in this recipe or set aside in the fridge for cooking another time. Potatoes roasted in duck are delicious; you could use the excess duck fat instead of cooking oil.