Duck Kebab

Serves 4

From Amber India chef-owner Vijay Bist.

3 tablespoons regular or low-fat Greek-style natural, unsweetened yogurt (see Note)
3 boneless duck breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons garlic paste (see Note)
2/3 teaspoon ginger paste (see Note)
3 green cardamom pods, seeds only (about 1/4 teaspoon seeds)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons mustard oil
1 teaspoon red chile powder
2 teaspoons Kasturi methi (see Note)
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
-- Caper Dill Sauce (see recipe)
Instructions: Make the hung yogurt several hours in advance - use several layers of cheesecloth to drain away enough moisture from the yogurt until it is pretty solid and looks like a little lump, which should take no longer than 3 to 4 hours in the refrigerator. You will need 2 tablespoons of the hung yogurt.

Remove skin from duck breasts; cut meat into 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Sprinkle lemon juice and salt over cubes, cover and set aside.

Place garlic paste, ginger paste and cardamom seeds in a mortar; grind with a pestle until cardamom is fine. Add cumin, nutmeg and 3 tablespoons of the hung yogurt; blend into a smooth paste, then scrape into a small bowl.

In a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low, heat the mustard oil until it is almost smoking. Stir in the red chile powder and Kasturi methi; add to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Pour this marinade over the duck, coating all the cubes. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, soak eight 6-inch wooden skewers in cold water for at least 15 minutes. Remove duck from refrigerater, lift cubes from the marinade, and skewer. Preheat a barbecue or stovetop grill, or preheat the oven to 350°. If grilling, grill skewers for about 5 minutes on each side, or until light brown and cooked through. If cooking in the oven, roast for about 15 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness.

Halfway through cooking, baste with a little melted butter. Serve hot on the skewers with Caper Dill Sauce alongside.

Note: The amount of straight-from-the-container yogurt needed to make the hung yogurt may vary slightly, depending on its thickness to begin with.

Make the pastes by starting with minced garlic/ginger and grinding in a mortar and pestle, or use the flat side of your chef's knife against the cutting board.

Kasturi methi are dry fenugreek leaves, available at Indian grocers.

Per serving: 261 calories, 35 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat (3 g saturated), 133 mg cholesterol, 373 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Wine pairing: Amber India's sommelier, Maneesh Rawat, recommends a Tempranillo or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

Caper Dill Sauce

Makes 1 1/2 cups


1 cup low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon drained capers, chopped
2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
-- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions: In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice, capers, dill, mustard, Tabasco and Worcestershire.

Heat oil in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the turmeric. As soon it is aromatic, remove from heat, pour over the sour cream mixture and blend well. Season with salt to taste.

Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Per tablespoon: 24 calories, 1 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 3 mg cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.