This dish begins with a duck leg marinated in green seasoning and warm spices, then cooked low and slow in duck fat confit-style until tender. It’s seared and lacquered with a tangy-sweet tamarind glaze before serving. Paired with Ghanaian jollof rice made from onions, jasmine rice, red stew, chicken stock, and spices, the dish delivers bold flavor, subtle heat, and deep richness.
Washington DC
Dawa
Tamarind Duck Leg
Duck leg / Salt / Black pepper / Alligator pepper / Green seasoning (scallions, thyme, celery, ginger, garlic) / Bay leaves / Black peppercorns / Duck fat / Tamarind glaze / jollof rice
Signature Dish
From Prep to Plate
Seth visits Dawa in Washington, D.C. where Chef Eric prepares a tamarind duck confit served with his signature Ghanaian jollof rice. Chef Eric covers the full process from overnight marination with green seasoning and alligator pepper, to slow cooking in duck fat, to finishing with a tamarind glaze. The Ghanaian jollof rice is made using long‑grain jasmine rice, red stew, onions, spices and stock.
The platter, designed for two or more, gathers a too-rare [duck] breast and a better leg, shiny and sassy with tamarind, on a mound of cold-smoked jollof rice. Another treasure from West Africa, jollof rice absorbs flavor from a spiced tomato stew. The trick is to keep the rice fluffy once it’s so seasoned. [Dawa] ... gets it right.
Tom Sietsema, The Washington Post
