Nunu's Kitchen - Braised Quail

Thanks to Sheila for telling me what the proper cooking term is called! If you don't eat quail, you can easily substitute with chicken but of course cooking time would be slightly longer. To ensure maximum taste, I would recommend marinating the quails over night. This recipe is so easy but it tastes like you spent forever in the kitchen!

Braised Quail

You will need:

• Quails - most supermarkets sell them cleaned, but remember to check the inner cavity, remove any organs you find, and clean the neck thoroughly! Remove any loose flaps of skin and visible fat.
• 3 or 4 stalks of spring onion - chopped into half finger lengths
• Ginger - a piece approx 2 finger lengths thick and long, grated/juiced
• 2 tbsp cooking Sake
• 1/2 to 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 4 tbsp light Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cloves of Garlic - bottom and skin removed, crushed underneath blade of knife
• 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Optional 1/2 tsp Chicken Powder

La Methode:

• Wash and pat dry the quail. Squeeze/grate/juice the ginger, reserve the pulp and rub the ginger juice all over the quails.

• Make your marinade; mix together the soy sauce, salt, sugar, sake, chicken powder (if using), and a little bit of the oil - as usual I have no specific measurements, you will never go wrong if you go with your taste buds.
• Pour marinade over the quails, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

• When quails are ready, oil a wok or non-stick frying pan, and toss in your ginger pulp, crushed garlic and chopped green onions. Put heat to high.

• When the oil begins to bubble, add the quails. Fry the quails until lightly browned on either sides.

• Once the quails are nicely browned, turn heat down to medium. Dissolve the oyster sauce in the remaining marinade and add it all to the pan together with 1/2 cup of water.

• Cover pan with lid and allow ingredients to simmer for approx 10-15 minutes. Flip the quails over once.
• Remove the quails from the pan once they are cooked, turn heat to high and allow the juices in the pan to reduce until you have a nice thick gravy.
• Pour gravy over the quails.
• Eat.