Chim Cút Rôti (Vietnamese Roasted Quail) is one of my favorite dishes. There's so much flavor in this little bird and is roasted in a sweet and savory sauce. When I see this dish on the menu at Vietnamese restaurants, I always order it. It's usually served as an appetizer but I think it's so hearty that I like to order it just for myself as a main dish.
It's not a dish that can be eaten daintily. So roll up your sleeves and get ready to eat with your fingers. This is a finger-licking good recipe you'll want to try out.
You can find quail in most Asian markets in the frozen meats section.
4 Servings, Approx. 4½ hours
What You'll Need
For the Marinade
For the Quail
4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Garlic Clove. minced
½ inch ginger knob, grated
1 Tbsp Sugar
1½ tsp Chicken Bouillon Powder
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
½ Cup Coconut Soda
For the Pomegranate Reduction (optional)
3 Tbsp grapeseed oil (you can substitute with olive oil)
¼ Cup Pomegranate Seeds
1 Scallion Stalk, 1-in diagonal cuts
2 Tbsp Annatto Seeds
All You Need To Do
Mix all of your marinade ingredients in a covered large bowl or an airtight storage bag. Make sure that your quails are thoroughly seasoned. Place in the refrigerator and marinade for approx. 3-4 hours.
In a large pan, add 4 Tbsp of vegetable oil and saute your garlic and ginger until slightly brown on medium high heat.
Add your quail and cook each side until it forms a nice golden brown crust. Approx 5-7 mins each side.
Remove the quail an sit on top of paper towel.
Add the remaining quail ingredients or sugar, chicken bouillon powder, soy sauce and coconut soda to pan. Heat the sauce on high. Make sure the ingredients are well mixed.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and add your quail to the mixture, coating each side of the quail. Simmer the quail in the sauce for about 5-7 minutes until the quail has absorbed all of the sauce.
Plate your quail on a bed of greens such as arugula or watercress and set aside.
In a small pan, make your Pomegranate Reduction Sauce. Heat scallions in oil over medium heat until the scallions have browned. Remove and discard the scallions.
Let the oil cool down for about 2-3 mins. Add your annatto seeds and heat on medium low heat. This adds the red color to the oil and releases an earthy flavor. When the red color has been released into the oil for about 1-2 mins, spoon the seeds out and discard.
Add your pomegranate seeds. I would slightly muddle your seeds before adding to the pan to release the juices.
Bring the mixture to high heat and stir for about 1 min. Reduce the heat down to low and let it simmer for another min.
Spoon the mixture over the quail before serving.
Add a few pomegranate seeds for garnish if you desire.
Enjoy!
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