This Laotian version of arroz con pollo is a rich, flavorful, and gorgeous one-pot dish, unusual and quite easy. See page 500 for information on Thai fish sauce (nam pla).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 6 servings

　　2 cups jasmine or other long-grain rice

　　2 whole heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled

　　2 teaspoons pepper

　　1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

　　1 tablespoon ground turmeric

　　3 tablespoons nam pla

　　One 4- to 5-pound duck, cut into serving pieces and trimmed of excess fat

　　Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

　　Lime wedges for serving

　　

Step 1

Put the rice in a strainer and rinse it well, then soak in cold water to cover.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, put the garlic, pepper, salt, turmeric, and nam pla into a food processor or blender. Process until the garlic is pasty and the ingredients are well incorporated, stopping the machine and scraping the sides if necessary.

　　

Step 3

Place a deep skillet or flameproof casserole with a lid over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the duck, skin side down, and brown well, adjusting the heat and rotating the pieces so they brown evenly, 10 to 15 minutes. As they brown, turn them and briefly brown the other side. When they are done, transfer them to a plate and pour off all but a couple tablespoons of the fat.

　　

Step 4

Add the garlic paste to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Return the duck to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce.

　　

Step 5

Add 3 1/2 cups water to the pan with the duck and bring to a boil. Drain the rice and slowly stir it into the pan. Bring the water to a boil again, cover, turn the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the duck and rice sit for 10 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.