Asian Duck with Snake Beans in Eggplant Bowl

This Asian duck with snake beans and coriander in an Eggplant Bowl was inspired by an afternoon stroll to Chinatown. The decision between BBQ pork and duck was made when the lady before me ordered half a duck and we watched the knife master reduce it to delicious pieces in seconds. "I'll have the other half please ..." made it an easy purchase! I grabbed a bunch of coriander from Yuengs on the way back and we headed home to create our meal.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 1/2 BBQ duck, in pieces
• 1/2 cup duck fat
• Handful of fresh coriander leaves
• 1 medium sized red banana chilli
• 1 finger sized piece of ginger
• 4 garlic cloves
• 75 ml sesame oil
• 20ml Fish Sauce
• 30ml soy sauce
• 75ml sweet chilli sauce
• 15 snake beans

Method

• We used BBQ duck in this recipe which is precooked, but you could cook your own duck, setting aside some fat for the sauce.
• Cut eggplant in half and scoop out centre, cover with sea salt to draw out the moisture and bake for 30 - 45 minutes (depending on size) in medium oven. Brush top edges with oil half way through.
• Break coriander leaves from stalks and rinse, drying on a paper towel. Keep aside a few nice looking leaves or whole stalks for decoration.
• Slice banana chilli. Finely dice most of it but keep aside a few nice looking slices for decoration.
• Finely chop or grate ginger and garlic
• Fry garlic, chilli, ginger and 1/2 of coriander in a pan with hot sesame oil, add sauces.
• Add BBQ duck and toss in mixture, then pour duck fat over it (watch for hot spitting fat!)
• Add snake beans for the last few minutes until they just start to soften
• Turn off heat and toss in remaining coriander
• Remove the salt from the eggplant by scooping across the surface
• Serve the duck in the eggplant - if it will hold, keep it all inside the eggplant or if yours are smaller you could put some on the plate spilling over on 1 side.
• Top with slices of chilli and fresh coriander leaves