Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons chilli sauce
- 2 teaspoons grated palm sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro) roots and stems
- 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 teaspoons red curry paste
- 8 quail vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Sprinkling mix
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons white peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds pinch of mace
- 1 cardamom pod
Dipping sauce
- 3 tablespoons fresh coconut juice or water
- 1 teaspoon grated palm sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 bird's eye chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
Method
1. Combine the oil, soy sauce, chilli sauce, palm sugar, coriander, ginger, garlic and red curry paste in a large shallow bowl. Rub the marinade over both sides of each quail, then put them all in the bowl. Cover and leave to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
2. To make the sprinkling mix, grind the coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, mace and cardamom pod in a mortar and pestle or spice mill. Stop grinding while there is still some texture to the mix. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. To make the dipping sauce, stir the coconut juice and palm sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the lime juice, fish sauce and chilli and mix together well.
4. Half fill a wok with oil and heat to 170°C (325°F), or until a cube of bread dropped in the oil browns in 20 seconds. Wipe the excess marinade off the quail and add them to the wok a few at a time. Deep-Fry each batch for about 4 minutes, or until golden. Drain on crumpled paper towels and serve at once with the sprinkling mix and the dipping sauce.
