Quail Karaage and Taiyaki (Chicken and Waffles!)
Disclaimer: The following post contains accounts of raising and processing poultry for food. If that makes you uncomfortable, please navigate away from this page!
We had a quail processing day (guide to raising quail) which is always a somewhat somber and work heavy day. A friend of mine (follow her on her Instagram @maisonmelimelo) who has accompanied me on such adventures like eating silkworm pupae and puffer fishing, wanted to learn how to process poultry, so she came over and we started working. The scalding and the plucking took the longest and by the time we were finished my back was aching.
However, working outside in the warmth of the new spring sun felt invigorating after being stuck inside all winter long. With my husband on the air rifle (beheading with a cleaver is also an option, but I am not confident that I wouldn’t chop my or anyone else’s fingers off), and each of us taking turns catching and holding them still, we managed to finish everything in about 4 hours. As always, we thanked the animal for providing us with food and had a refresher in remembering the weight of the work and life that goes into our meals.
About 24-36 hours later, rigor passes and it can be cooked however you’d like (cooking during rigor makes a tough meal.) Quail is delicious and can be used in any application you wish to use chickens in, its flavor falling somewhere between duck and chicken. Late at night, my friend sent me (curses!) a post about quail and waffles, like chicken and waffles, and unfortunately for me I don’t have a waffle maker. I DO have a taiyaki maker though, so I decided to do a Japanese spin on this American classic.
Karaage is a quick marinated fried chicken, crispy and hot, while taiyaki is pancake like and dense with sweet red bean paste, custard, or chocolate in the center. You can use taiyaki mix, pancake batter, or Korean egg bread batter. I’ve made a lot of different taiyaki variations, each as delicious as the last so you can use any recipe for that part. I use this pan over a flame. Unfortunately you can’t use the pan over an electric stove but there are electric taiyaki makers.
For the quail, I quarter and marinate while waiting for rigor to pass so it’s ready to use in the morning. You can tell when rigor has passed by bending the wing and leg joints—if it bends easily, then it’s ready. Karaage quail will fry darker because of the soy sauce and quail is darker as a meat to begin with.
Karaage Quail Recipe
- 1 quail, quartered
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Ginger, 1/4 teaspoon, grated
- 1 teaspoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- Pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- Vegetable, peanut, or soybean oil for frying
- Combine the quail, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, pepper, sesame oil, and corn starch. Allow to marinate about 15 minutes.
- Heat oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and fry quail pieces until crisp on the outside. Serve with wedge of lemon, shichimi powder, taiyaki, and syrup.
