Caille Frites aux 5 parfums

A very popular dish in Vietnamese restaurants: fragrant, tender, crispy… and even tastier than chicken!

The aroma of five-spice, the golden hue from annatto oil, and the fresh touch of kaffir lime... everything makes you want to taste it right away 😋
And honestly? Using your fingers 🤏 is even better!

What is annatto oil used for?

Annatto oil is made by heating vegetable oil with annatto seeds, which give it a lovely red-orange color.
You can replace it with paprika powder if you can’t find it.

👉 To prepare it:
Heat oil with the seeds until they lose their color, then strain through a sieve.

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 5 quails

• 1 tsp of oyster sauce

• 1 tsp of Maggi sauce

• 1 tsp of fish sauce

• 1 tsp of five-spice powder

• 1 tsp of honey

• 2 chopped shallots

• 2 cloves of garlic (or 1 tsp of garlic powder)

• 1/2 tsp of ginger powder

• 2 large tbsp of annatto oil

• 1/2 tsp of salt

• Pepper

For the coating sauce

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 3 stalks of finely chopped lemongrass

• 1 tsp of five-spice powder

• 1 tsp of sugar

• 1 to 2 tbsp of fish sauce

• 1/2 bowl of coconut cream
  (or 1 tbsp of cornstarch diluted in 1/2 bowl of water)

• 1 tbsp of sweet chili sauce

• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Prepare the quails

Clean the quails in a basin of water with 2 tbsp of vinegar and a few slices of ginger (optional).
Drain, remove any tiny feathers, then cut each quail in half along the breastbone.

In a large bowl, place the quails and add all the marinade ingredients.
With food-safe gloves, massage well the meat so that all the flavors penetrate.
Cover and let marinate overnight (or at least 1 hour).

2. Fry the quails

The next day, let the quails come to room temperature.

Frying at 170°C:

• In a fryer (lid closed): about 10 minutes.

• In a pan: cook a little longer, until they are golden brown and crispy.

👉 The oil should fully cover the quails for even cooking.

3. Prepare the coating sauce

Mince the garlic, chop the lemongrass very finely, and cut the kaffir lime leaves into thin strips.

In a wok:

1. Sauté the garlic in a bit of oil for 1 minute.

2. Add the lemongrass and let it heat until it releases its fragrance.

3. Stir in the five-spice, sugar, fish sauce, and coconut cream (or diluted cornstarch).

Lower the heat and let it thicken slightly.
Then add the quails and coat them with the sauce by turning them over.
If the sauce is too thick, add a little water.

Sprinkle with green onion and strips of kaffir lime leaves. 🌿

To be served with…

Sweet spicy nuoc cham

• 1 tbsp of fish sauce

• 1 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice

• 1 tbsp of sugar
  (or 1 small tsp if you prefer less sweet)

• 3 cloves of minced garlic

• Bird's eye chili

Or my favorite sauce since childhood

• 1 tsp of salt

• 1/2 lemon juice

• Pepper

• Strips of kaffir lime leaves

• Bird's eye chili