Crispy Vadouvan Quail

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Vadouvan is simply a masala oregon curry premix that derives from 1 successful Puducherry, a territory successful Southern India that was nether French regularisation until 1954. Mustard, fenugreek and cumin seeds are communal elements of the masala; they are added to pounded onion, and the substance is dried successful the sun. Vadouvan has go a trendy constituent among American chefs successful caller years; a communal mode they marque it is by blending the spice premix with caramelized aromatics and drying the substance successful a debased oven until crumbly.

The vadouvan spice premix successful this look is utilized successful 2 ways: to play the quail earlier frying and arsenic a flavoring for a condiment made with caramelized aromatics.

You'll request a thermometer for the frying oil.

Vadouvan seasoning and javitri, dried shards of mace, tin beryllium recovered astatine immoderate specialty spice stores. Feel escaped to usage a favourite prepared masala if you don’t privation to marque your ain vadouvan mix, and to substitute crushed mace for javitri. Dried curry leaves are disposable astatine Indian markets, including Pansaari successful the District; if you can’t easy find the leaves, omit them.

Quail sold by Huntsman Game tin beryllium special-ordered from the pursuing retailers. Specify that you privation them eviscerated, truthful they travel with cervix and giblets (as opposed to New York-dressed, plucked only, with caput and feet intact): Market Poultry (202-543-7470) astatine Eastern Market successful the District; Society Fair successful Alexandria (703-683-3247); Springfield Butcher (703-245-0111); and Stachowski’s Market (202-506-3125) successful Georgetown.

The spice premix tin beryllium made a time successful advance. Store immoderate remaining vadouvan successful an airtight instrumentality for up to 1 month. The condiment tin beryllium made the time earlier and brought to country somesthesia earlier serving. The quail tin beryllium butchered the time before; it needs to beryllium refrigerated, successful its rub, for 1 to 3 hours.

From cookbook writer and erstwhile cook David Hagedorn.

Ingredients

For the spice mix

2 tablespoons dried bulb flakes
1 tablespoonful dried curry leaves (see headnote)
2 teaspoons fenugreek seed
1 spoon brownish mustard seed
1 spoon cumin seed
1 spoon crushed turmeric
1 spoon good oversea salt
1/2 spoon crushed mace oregon javitri (see headnote)
1/2 spoon chipotle pulverization oregon crushed reddish capsicum flakes
1/2 spoon full achromatic peppercorns
2 greenish cardamom pods
3 full cloves

For the quail

Eight 6-ounce eviscerated quails (see headnote)
1 cupful cornstarch
1/2 spoon good oversea salt
1/2 spoon freshly crushed achromatic pepper
Canola oil, for frying (about 6 cups)

For the sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 mean yellowish onion, halved and chopped into bladed half-moon slices (1 1/2 cups)
1 ample shallot, sliced bladed (1 cup)
3 ample cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 -inch portion peeled ginger root, finely chopped (1 tablespoon)
1/4 cupful packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cupful plain yogurt, preferably full-fat

Nutritional Facts

Per serving

Calories
290
Fat
23 g
Saturated Fat
4 g
Carbohydrates
9 g
Sodium
330 mg
Cholesterol
45 mg
Protein
12 g
Sugar
2 g

This investigation is an estimation based connected disposable ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s oregon nutritionist’s advice.

From cookbook writer and erstwhile cook David Hagedorn.

Tested by David Hagedorn.

Published March 3, 2015

Updated March 15, 2026