Quail Kolhapuri

A hot and spicy quail preparation prepared with the famous Kolhapuri masala. If you are wondering how best to cook quail, this is a great recipe as the Quail tastes really fantastic. Being hot and somewhat dry, this recipe is great for parties or a simple sunday special lunch.

Serving Size: 4 persons

Ingredients:

Quails - 6, cut into halves

Marinade masala:

Plain Yoghurt/Doi - 3 tbsp, heaped

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp (add another tsp if you dont mind hot food)

Garlic - 2 cloves, grated

Salt - To taste

Fresh lemon juice - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Cooking  masala:

Onions - 2 medium (about 300-350 g), sliced

Tomato - 1 small, chopped

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Bay Leaves - 1, halved

Cinnamon - 2, 1 inch pieces

Cloves - 6-8

Peppercorns - 1 tsp, coarsely crushed

Sugar - 1/4 tsp

White Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp (use white oil if you dont prefer mustard oil)

Garnishing:

Green Chillies - 3, slit

Cilantro/Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped

Preparation:          

1. Remove quail skin, wash, cut and keep aside. 

2. Beat the yoghurt  with all ingredients listed under the marinade masala.  Marinate for atleast 20 mins.      

Cooking procedure: The recipe has been split into 2 stages for easy understanding

Stage 1:

1. Heat 2 tbsp white oil in a kadhai.

2. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and pepper and fry for 30 sec or till cinnamons turn dark.

3. Then add onions and fry for 4-5 min on medium high heat.

4. Add grated coconut and mix well. Saute for 1-2 mins.

5. Add tomatoes and continue to fry for 7-8 mins on medium heat. Stir occasionally to avoid masala from getting charred.

6. Remove the fried masala from heat, cool and grind to a paste.

Stage 2:

1. Heat 2 tbsp mustard. Add marinated quail pieces along with the marinade masala and cook covered on low heat for 25-30 mins. Stir occasionally to avoid masala from sticking to the bottom of the kadhai. Cook till meat is cooked as desired. Generally no water is required to be added since this dish is a dry preparation.

2. Add the ground masala made in Stage 1 and sugar. Mix well  and cook for 3-4 mins. Remove from heat

3. Garnish with cilantro and green chillies and serve hot.

Serving Suggestions: