Bored of the traditional non-veg dishes? Give quail meat a shot!
Replacing chicken with quails, Chef Rishi Desai stirred up this yummy meal in the butter invention test on MasterChef Australia Season 5.
Here's the recipe:
Butter Quail with Butter Naan
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup yoghurt
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 tsp coriander seeds
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 cm piece ginger
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 2 quails
- 250 gm butter
- 1 large or 2 small onions (finely chopped)
- 2 tomatoes (diced)
- 1 cup cashews (roasted)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cayenne
- A pinch of saffron
- 60 ml thickened cream
- Caster sugar to taste
- Vegetable oil, to drizzle
- Salt to taste
Method
- Place flour, yoghurt, a pinch of salt and one fourth cup of water into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Mix to form a dough. Knead for about five minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside until needed.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
- Add cumin and coriander seeds. Saute for one to two minutes or until fragrant.
- Grind seeds in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
- Blend four garlic cloves, ginger, chilli flakes, lemon juice, and a tablespoon each of ground cumin and coriander into a paste.
- Debone quail and separate legs from breasts.
- Rub a tablespoon of the paste onto the quail. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate.
- Melt 125 gm of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the remaining ginger and garlic paste. Cook for about a minute or until fragrant.
- Add onions and cook for about five minutes or until softened.
- Add tomatoes. Cook for around five minutes until broken down.
- Transfer mixture to a blender with cashews, the remaining ground cumin and coriander, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne and saffron. Blend to a puree.
- Melt 50 gm of the butter in another saucepan over medium heat.
- Add puree and simmer for about five minutes until thickened.
- Strain puree through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan.
- Place over medium heat, slowly stir in 50 gm of the butter and cream, and cook for about five minutes. Stir regularly.
- Season to taste with salt and sugar. If sauce separates, whisk in one to two tablespoons water until combined. Keep the sauce aside.
- Place a chargrill pan over high heat. Drizzle quail with oil.
- Cook for about one to two minutes each side until cooked to medium. Remove quail, cover loosely with foil, and set aside to rest for five minutes.
- Divide the naan dough into four evenly-sized balls.
- Roll each ball into a 2 mm thick disc.
- Melt the remaining 25 gm butter in a large frying pan over high heat.
- Cook each side of the naan bread for about two minutes, until puffed and golden.
To serve
- Place sauce on the plate. Top it with quail.
- Serve with butter naan.
Photographs: Kind Courtesy Tenplay.com.au
MasterChef Australia Season 8 airs at 9 pm, Monday to Friday on Star World and Star World HD in India.
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