Main Asian

Crispy quail with caramel soy sauce and Asian slaw

Name: Crispy quail with caramel soy sauce and Asian slaw
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /asian, /asian recipes, /chinese
Ingredients: 6 jumbo quail (see notes); Peanut oil, to deep-fry; 1 cup (220g) caster sugar; 2/3 cup (160ml) light soy sauce; 1 cinnamon quill; 1 star anise; 5cm piece ginger, sliced; 2 tbs malt vinegar; 2 cups (500ml) Chinese rice wine (see notes); 300ml light soy sauce; 200g brown sugar; 4 garlic cloves, bruised; 5cm piece ginger; 4 star anise; 3 cinnamon quills; 5 cardamom pods; 1 tsp toasted fennel seeds; 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1/4 cup (60ml) rice vinegar; 2 tbs caster sugar; 2 tbs soy sauce; 1 1/2 tbs lime juice; 1/4 red cabbage, thinly shredded; 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced; 1 long green chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced; 4 radishes, thinly sliced

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50m

Crispy quail with caramel soy sauce and Asian slaw

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Entertain in style with this gourmet Cantonese-inspired dish of Crispy quail with caramel soy sauce and Asian slaw.

6 jumbo quail (see notes)
Peanut oil, to deep-fry

Caramel soy sauce - makes about 1 cup

1 cup (220g) caster sugar
2/3 cup (160ml) light soy sauce
1 cinnamon quill
1 star anise
5cm piece ginger, sliced
2 tbs malt vinegar

Master stock

2 cups (500ml) Chinese rice wine (see notes)
300ml light soy sauce
200g brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, bruised
5cm piece ginger
4 star anise
3 cinnamon quills
5 cardamom pods
1 tsp toasted fennel seeds
1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns

Asian slaw

1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup (60ml) rice vinegar
2 tbs caster sugar
2 tbs soy sauce
1 1/2 tbs lime juice
1/4 red cabbage, thinly shredded
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 long green chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced
4 radishes, thinly sliced

Method

1.

Begin this recipe 1 day ahead.
2.

For the master stock, combine all the ingredients with 3L (12 cups) water in a stockpot over high heat. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, then strain. Add quails to the hot master stock, making sure they are completely covered. Cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes to poach. Turn quails over and set aside for a further 20 minutes or until the stock has cooled. Remove quail and place on a rack set over a tray in the fridge overnight to dry out. The stock can be frozen and re-used.
3.

For the caramel soy sauce, place the sugar and soy sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve. Add cinnamon, star anise, ginger and vinegar, and simmer for 6 minutes or until syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside for 1 hour to infuse.
4.

Half-fill a large saucepan with oil and heat to 190°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds). Deep-fry the quails for 3-4 minutes until crisp and golden, then drain on paper towel.
5.

For the slaw, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and lime juice in a bowl. Combine cabbage, onion, chilli and radish in a separate bowl, add the dressing, and toss combine.
6.

Serve the quails with the caramel soy sauce and Asian slaw