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Barbecued five-spice quail
Serves 6 as an appetiser or part of a shared meal Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 6 quail (about 1.2 kg in total)
- 2tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking
- 1 1⁄2tbsp soy sauce
- 3cm piece fresh ginger, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2tbsp palm sugar (jaggery) shavings
- 2 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 1⁄2 star anise, chopped finely
- handful of mint leaves
- handful of coriander leaves
- handful of perilla leaves, torn (optional)
- 80g roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
For the cucumber salad
- 45g palm sugar (jaggery) shavings
- 2tbsp lime juice
- 2tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1⁄2 tbsp fish sauce
- 4 Lebanese (short) cucumbers, peeled and diced
- 3 large red Asian shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 red bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped
Method
Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut through the quail on either side of the backbone, discarding the backbones. Put the quail, skin side up, on a work surface and gently flatten them using the heel of your hand to break the breast bone.
Combine the oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, palm sugar and spices in a food processor and process until a paste forms. Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle and grind to a paste.
Combine the paste with the quail in a large bowl, turning them until well coated. Cover the bowl with cling film and transfer to the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
To make the cucumber salad, combine the sugar, lime juice, rice vinegar and fish sauce in a bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the cucumber, shallots and chilli, toss to coat well, cover, then leave to stand for 20 minutes.
When you are ready to cook the quail, drain and reserve the marinade. Season the quail with black pepper to taste.
Heat a barbecue or griddle pan to medium-high. Cook the quail, in batches if necessary, skin side down, turning once and brushing occasionally with the reserved marinade, for 10 minutes, or until just cooked through – the quail should still be pink in the middle. Transfer the quail to a warmed plate and rest for 5 minutes.
To serve, gently scatter the herbs and peanuts over the quail and serve with the cucumber salad on the side.
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