If you've ever had the chance to try out the crispy and savory Laos fried quail, you most likely remember how delicious it is. While it's often referred to as street food in Lao cuisine, it's actually also a delicous homestyle meal that you can eat with sticky rice and jasmine rice.
Lao style quail is uniquely flavored with deliciously sweet and earthy undertones that make it great grilled, fried, or even oven baked. I've got the perfect recipe for you for the fried variety. Read on to find out how you can make authentic Laos fried quail quickly and easily.
All About Laos Fried Quail
For those not familiar with the taste of quail, it can be described as a much more tender version of regular chicken wings. It's a softer and tender meat. Some people may even eat the bone on the quail because it's so small.
Laos fried quail has a sweet and savory marinade. It's often cooked over a hot flame. You'll often find quail on a stick when visiting the streets of Vientiane.
Regional Variations
Aside from the Lao version, there are variations of this dish in Vietnamese cuisine as well, such as Chim Cut Chien. Laos quail is usually marinaded overnight and prepared baked, grilled, or fried on its o a side of lemon, seasoned with salt and pepper. A lime wedge and a bowl of jasmine rice also go really with this dish.
There are many other variations of this dish that includes Hoisin sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, etc. In fact, it is also pan-fried on some occasions.
Tips and Tricks Before Making Laos Fried Quail
Even though the most authentic method of cooking this dish is to deep-fry it, it is equally as good when you grill them. Not to mention, it is a much healthier alternative to deep-frying, as mentioned earlier. Other than that, this recipe sticks to the classic version of Laos Fried Quail.
Choosing Quail
For these recipes, you'll want to get quail that is the size of your hand. Often, these have the most tender meats and the most flavor. If you absolutely can't get your hands on a quail, you can always substitute it with a chicken wing or other poultry. Ultimately, you are working with a versatile bird that is enjoyable in many different ways
Cleaning Quail
When it comes to the bird itself, make sure you pat it completely dry if you are defrosting a frozen quail. Any moisture will prevent it to crisp up and can increase the chances of a soggy fried quail. The body cavity should also be wiped clean using a paper towel if you are using a freshly bought quail.
Alternatives for Preparations
Grilling over a charcoal flame is a much better alternative than deep-frying if you are looking for a healthier option. Taking the cooking outdoors is a great way to make it enjoyable and prevent the house from smoking up because this does give off a strong aroma. Grilling gives the emat of the quail a wonderfully smokey aroma and enhances the flavor.
Marinade
The best way to infuse flavors into any kind of meat is to let it rest in the marinade for an adequate amount of time. Letting the quails marinate overnight will intensify the flavors and improve the overall taste.
Asian Grocery Store Ingredients
Even though most ingredients for this recipe are pretty straightforward and common in every grocery store, some are a bit special and should be sought for at an Asian grocery store. Going to an Asian grocery store for the first time might seem a little intimidating. However, you'll often find some affordable options and an amazing array of varieties if you visit your local market.
Here are some of the ingredients from this recipe that you will be sure to find at your nearest Asian Grocery store.
Quail
Fried quail are usually made with smaller-sized birds rather than larger ones. This is so that people can eat the whole bird along with the bones. However, if you are not a big fan of bones, go ahead and pick the larger quails so that you can get bigger meat portions, minus the bones. You will find both fresh and frozen quails in the fresh meat and frozen meat sections respectively.
Palm Sugar
Palm sugar is a fairly popular ingredient in almost any Southeast Asian cooking that calls for a bit of sweetness. It is found in a few regular grocery stores. But if you need some right away, you better make your way to an Asian Grocery Store. They always carry it in stock, as most of the dishes that are fairly popular call for this ingredient.
Fish Sauce
Fish sauce is used in various ways in Southeast Asian cuisine. You will see the use of fish sauce in curries, soups, marinades, and even as a condiment on the table in dips. This is why you can blindly trust Asian Grocery stores to carry it.
While there are many different brands available, make sure that you get your hands on to the squid brand one. It is of the highest quality of them all and provides the perfect finishing touch, making a huge difference.
Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce is also quite popular, just like fish sauce. Oyster sauce is used in many dishes outside of Southeast Asian cooking too. Once you get to the sauce aisle in the grocery store, it can get a bit confusing to know which one to buy. Instead of guessing the quality of the sauce, go for the panda brand one. It is a tried and tested oyster sauce that works well in most dishes.
How to Make Authentic Laotian Fried Quail
So, now that you have picked out your preferred size of the bird and have gathered all the ingredients together for the marinade, you can move on to cooking.
Summary about Authentic Laos Fried Quail
This is one of the easiest and most simple recipes that you will ever encounter in Laotian cuisine. Even though Laos Fried Quail is so simple when it comes to preparing it, it is not a mediocre dish that lacks flavor. It is deeply flavorful due to the intricate combination of flavors and textures that are created from a very specific type of marinade sauce.
Once you have successfully made this at home, you will never feel the need to go out and buy one from the street food vendors. So follow our recipe and we assure you that you will not be disappointed.
Other Laos Food Inspiration
Below are some delicious Laotian recipes that you might absolutely love. These are tried and true for our family and they absolutely would devour every single of these meals.
- Laos Pork Sausage (Sai Kok)
- Laos Crispy Coconut Rice Salad (Naem Khao)
- Laos Carmelized Pork and Eggs (Tom Khem)
- Laos Papaya Sald (Tom Ma Hung)
- Laos Chicken Minced Meat Salad (Larb Gai)
