Appetizers Recipes - Duck Egg Nests Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 coriander (cilantro) roots

• 2 garlic cloves

• 10 white peppercorns

• Pinch of salt

• 45ml/3 tbsp oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 115g/4oz minced (ground) pork

• 75g/3oz shelled prawns (shrimp), chopped

• 50g/2oz roasted peanuts, ground

• 5ml/1 tsp palm sugar (jaggery)

• fish sauce, to taste

• 6 duck eggs

• coriander (cilantro) leaves

• spring onion (scallion) tassels and sliced red chillies, to garnish

Makes about 12-15

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Method:

1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the coriander roots, garlic, white peppercorns and salt into a paste.

2. Heat 30ml/2 tbsp of the oil, add the paste and fry until fragrant. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the pork and prawns and continue to stir-fry until the meat is cooked.

3. Add the peanuts, palm sugar, salt and fish sauce, to taste. Stir the mixture and continue to cook until it becomes a little sticky. Remove from the heat.

4. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside. Beat the duck eggs in a bowl. Grease a non-stick frying pan with the remaining oil and heat.

5. Using a small hole funnel or squeezy bottle, trail the eggs across the pan to make a net pattern, about 13cm/5in in diameter.

6. When the net is set, carefully remove it from the pan, and repeat until all the eggs have been used up.

7. To assemble, lay a few coriander leaves on each nest and top with a spoonful of the filling.

8. Turn in the edges to make neat square shapes. Repeat with the rest of the nests. Arrange on a serving dish, garnish and serve.

Note: These attractive parcels are usually made using a conical dispenser, but a thin funnel also works well.