#sg51 August 9th marks Singapore's 51st birthday, and we've just had a sumptuous dinner to celebrate it! Tonight dinner features curry duck served with rice vermicelli and assorted herbs specially prepared by my housemate. At first glance, the curry bowl looks like a microcosm of autumn: vibrant hues of yellow in the background interspersed by the greens of chopped coriander and Thai basil. The broth gives off a refreshing concoction of lemongrass, coconut milk, spices from the curry powder, and fresh herbs. It tastes, however, quite sweet--apart from sweet potatoes, I believe she added generous heaps of sugar to the broth, I'd rather it were on a saltier side. Other than that, the duck is nicely done; the drumsticks neither fall off the bones (which signals they have been left simmering for too long), nor are they stuck in between the teeth (a sign of undercooked poultry). To top it off, there are chicken hearts fried in chilli salt (the maroon-brownish parts on the right side of the bowl) which everyone enjoyed immensely. Mind you, the bowl is packed with calories (mainly from the excessive coconut milk), and it fills up the stomach quite fast. I was half-full when there was more than three quarters of what the bowl was able to hold. I also had extra herbs added to my bowl; not only did they garnish the dish, but they also combatted the richness of the broth. In the end, I devoured one and half a bowl of this goodness, and we are still left with an extra pot. I couldn't help it; gluttony is my biggest sin. >:)