Mandaean Duck Stuffed with Nutty Ginger Rice with Date & Apple Compote

Name: Mandaean Duck Stuffed with Nutty Ginger Rice with Date & Apple Compote
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Iraq
Ingredients: sea salt; 1 tsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp white wine (optional); 500 ml/17 fl oz/generous 2 cups unsweetened apple juice; 2 star anise; ½ tsp dried lime powder (optional); ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 235 g/8½ oz/1⅓ cups pitted dried dates, roughly chopped; 5 cm/2 in piece root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced; 25 g/1 oz/¼ cup pine nuts; 150 g/5½ oz/¾ cup basmati rice; 25 g/1 oz/¼ cup shelled unsalted pistachios; 25 g/1 oz/¼ cup blanched almonds; 1 duck, about 2.5 kg/5 lb 8 oz, skin lightly pricked; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp paprika; ½ tsp ground cardamom; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; ½ tsp turmeric

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
3 hr 30

Appears in

The Jewelled Kitchen

By Bethany Kehdy

Published 2013

About

This recipe is inspired by the spiced duck eaten by the small Mandaean community of Iraq. Traditionally, the duck is boiled and then fried in its own fat. The spices I have used are fairly typical, but the stuffing usually includes sultanas/golden raisins and onions.

Ingredients

150 g/5½ oz/¾ cup basmati rice
5

Asia
Iraq
Main course
Spicy
Gluten-free

Method

Rinse the rice several times in cold water until it runs clear, then drain well. Tip into a heavy-based saucepan and cover with 2 times its volume of water. Add the ginger and season with salt, then cover and bring to a rolling boil for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the dates, apple juice, star anise, lemon juice and white wine, if using, in a heavy-based sa