Recipe: Kolhapuri Bater (Quail) Masala
Serves 3
Preparation Time:45 mins
Cooking Time:70 mins
Ingredients:
1) 300 grams Bater (Japanese Farmed Quail)
2) 7 dried Kashmiri red chilies
3) 1/3 rd cup grated dried coconut
4) 1 tsp fennel seeds
5) 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
6) 1/2 tsp black cumin seeds
7) 1 tsp coriander seeds
8) 1 tsp poppy seeds
9) 1 tsp white sesame seeds
10) 2 and 1/2 inches cinnamon stick
11) 7 peppercorn
12) 7 cloves
13) 1/2 tsp dried lichen
14) 1/2 tsp mace
15) 2 star anise
16) 1/4th tsp crushed nutmeg
17) 4 black cardamom
18) 4 green cardamom
19) 3 medium sized onions finely chopped (150 grams)
20) 1/3 rd whisked curd (80 grams)
21) 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
22) juice of 1/2 lime
23) 1 and 1/2 tsp byadagi red chili powder
24) 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
25) Cooking Oil
26) Salt
Steps:
1) We will make a curd based marinade.Put curd in a large bowl,1 tsp salt, red chili powder,lime juice, turmeric powder.Mix.
2) Coat quails in the marinade.Cover bowl with cling wrap and keep it aside for 30 mins.
3) Meanwhile, we will dry roast spices in a pan until it starts releasing aroma(Coriander seeds,cumin seeds,black cumin seeds,white sesame seeds,cloves, peppercorns, star anise,green cardamom, black cardamom and cinnamon stick,fennel seeds,mace,dried lichens,red chilies,nutmeg powder,poppy seeds,dried grated coconut)
4) Allow the dry roasted spices to cool down and then grind them into fine masala paste.
5) Add 4 tbsp oil in a pan. Fry until onions turn golden brown.On low fame it takes 10 minutes.
6) Add ginger garlic paste.Now add masala paste.Bhunao.For Bhunao you may add 1-2 tbsp water.
7) Bhunao masala for 5 mins. Oil starts oozing out on top.Boil 2 cups of water for gravy. Add marinated quails to the masala.Add leftover marinade.Mix.
8) Add boiled water for gravy. Adjust gravy consistency as required.Allow gravy to boil on medium heat.We have added 1 and 1/2 cup water.
9) Add salt to taste.Lower the heat and cook covered until quails are completely cooked.Quails get cooked completely in 25 mins on low heat.
10) Turn off the heat. Keep them covered until serving.
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