THAI RED CURRY

prep + cook time 4½ hours serves 4

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 duck or chicken marylands (1.2kg)

1/3 cup (100g) thai red curry paste

3 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

3 kaffir lime leaves, torn

400ml can coconut cream

½ cup (125ml) chicken stock

1.25kg finger eggplants, cut into 2cm slices

1 medium red onion (170g), sliced thinly

1 tsp caster sugar

2 tsp finely grated lime rind

2 tbsp lime juice

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

½ small pineapple (450g), cut into 2cm pieces

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp coconut sugar

1 cup thai basil leaves

½ cup (40g) fried shallots serving idea Serve curry with steamed rice and lime cheeks.

1 Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook marylands, skin-side down, for 3 minutes each side; remove marylands from pan. Add curry paste, spices and lime leaves to pan; stir for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the coconut cream and stock; bring to a simmer.

2 Transfer the marylands and curry sauce to a 4.5-litre (18-cup) slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low for 3 hours (or high for 1½ hours). Add the eggplant; cook, covered, on low for 1 hour (or high for 30 minutes).

3 Meanwhile, for pickled onion, combine onion, caster sugar, half the lime rind, 1 tbsp lime juice and a large pinch of salt in a bowl; stand onion mixture for 10 minutes to pickle.

4 Remove the whole spices and lime leaves from curry. Stir through tomatoes, pineapple, fish sauce, coconut sugar, remaining lime rind and juice.

5 Serve curry with pickled onion, thai basil leaves and fried shallots.