Lemongrass Quail with Oyster-hoison Glaze (served with Cucumber Salad)

My last trip back home to Dallas yielded me a bounty of fresh lemongrass and chili peppers. The combination of the fresh ingredients and the fact that I'm playing the "let's cook with only the stuff I have available or cleaning out the pantry" brought this dish together. I love how my mom always has fresh produce picked, packed and ready to go every time I visit her. Last time I was there I came home with basil, chili peppers and Chinese long beans. You can also recreate this dish with almost any type of poultry.

Quail ingredients:

6 quails
1 stalk lemongrass (finely minced)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Sriracha
2 tablespoon hoison sauce
2 tablespoon oyster sauce

Glaze ingredients:

In a separate bowl for the glaze combine same amount of oyster sauce, hoison sauce, Sriracha, black pepper, and sugar. You'll use this to glaze the quails right before they are almost done.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients well and let it marinate for about 30 minutes. Set oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lay quails down with the open side down (you're going to want the skin up and caramelize). Bake for 30 minutes and with a brush, thoroughly glaze the quails. Let it cook for another 15 minutes before turning the oven off and serving.

Cucumber salad ingredients:

1 large cucumber (do not peel), shredded (for shredding technique see the recipe for the papaya salad, it's the same methodology behind it)
2 garlic cloves
Pinch of salt (approximately 1/4 teaspoon)
2 Thai/birds eye chili peppers (or more if you like it spicier)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 - 3 tablespoon fish sauce (if you want to add crab paste or shrimp paste you should reduce the amount of fish sauce)
8 cherry tomatoes
Juice of half a lime

Directions:

This is the traditional Laotian mortar and pestle used.

Hint: See the spoon on the left? You want to use one

hand to stir the mixture with the spoon while you using

the pestle with the other hand.

In a mortar and pestle, combine chili peppers, garlic, and salt to create a paste. Add all other ingredients and with a spoon and pestle being mashing and stir at the same time until all ingredients are mix well (be careful with cucumbers, you don't want to over work it and make it too mushy). As with any Laotian style salads, you may need to adjust the flavor by adding more fish sauce, lime juice, or (if you're my sister) sugar. I'm not sure how many other families do this, but in our family we like to top off the salad with a little roasted rice powder (it definitely gives it an extra bit of kick).

Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.3