Kerala Style Kaada Roast | Quail Roast(Step by Step Pics) ~ Easter Special !

Wishing all a Happy Easter !!

Hope you all are having a good Easter. We are on vacations and are at home. Kids finished their exams last week and they completed a whole year of online classes and exams in the last acdemic year. Hope kids get to see the next academic session at school, they miss their friends and the school time. 

Coming back to today's recipe, Kada(quail) are small birds and the meat is very less compared to that of chicken. These are dressed up whole and are used as a whole as its very small and not cut in pieces. The cavity is cleaned and all internal organs are removed. The meat is darker in color compared to chicken and is a juicy one. Kaada meat has many health benefits like incresing hemoglobin, improving metabolism and helps in healing asthma, gastritis and tuberculosis. The kaada eggs are also equally nutritious though they are 1/3 rd the size of a chicken egg. The eggs have 3 times the nutrition that a chicken egg has and has 13% protein compared to 11% in chicken eggs. I already have posted kada egg roast and egg chutney balls made with kaada(quail) eggs, do check that too if interested.

Kaada meat tastes almost similar to chicken, its a juicy meat but not very fleshy unlike chicken. The bones of the meat is tender and can be eaten too. The meat has very less fat compare to that of chicken.

The kaada is slightly fried in oil with first marination and then cooked in onion tomato mix. The first frying gives a firmness to the meat and gives an added flavor. One kaada may just serve as an appetizer for an adult and so plan the number of kaada as per that for use. H doesn't like the kaada meat compared to chicken but all others do like it. The masala adds an added cover to the meat and tastes delicious with some appam / idiyappam. Check it out!!

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Cooking time ~ 30 mins

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ 5 kada roast

Ingredients

for marination

kada/ quail 5

turmeric powder/ manjal podi 1/2 tsp

kashmiri chilli powder / mulagu podi 3tsp

pepper powder / kurumulaku podi 1/2 tsp

lemon juice / naranga neeru 1/2 or 2 tsp

salt as needed 

for roast

coconut sliced / thenga kothu 2 tbsp

fennel seeds / perinjeerakam 1/2 tsp

onion/ savala 4 medium sized 

tomato / thakkali 2 big sliced

green chilli / pachamulagu 1or 2 

ginger- garlic paste 1 tbsp

turmeric powder / manjal podi  1/4 tsp

kashmiri chily powder /mulagu podi 1 tsp

coriander powder/ malli podi 1 tsp

garam masala 1 tsp

water 1/2 cup

curry leaves 2-3 sprig

salt to taste

sugar a pinch

coriander leaves / malli ela 1 tbsp

coconut oil 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp

Method

FOR MARINATION

Wash and clean the kada meat (quail) thoroughly inside out. The inside is hollow after removing all the organs, rinse under running water. Drain all water, make gashes over the meat so that the masala seeps in and keep aside. Make a paste with the ingredients listed under marination and then apply on the kada(quail) inside out as much a s possible. Keep aside covered in fridge overnight or atleast 30 mins.

                                           

FOR ROAST

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the marinated kada and lightly fry flippig all sides(may take 3 minutes each side on medium flame). Remove on a plate and keep aside. 

• To the same oil,add the perinjeerakam(fennel seeds), to this add coconut slices and fry till light brown. Wait till its light browned, add the sliced onions, green chillies and saute. Sprinkle a little salt to speed up and then fry the onions till lightly browned.Add in curry leaves.

                                             

• To this add ginger- garlic paste and saute till raw smell disappears. Then add the spice powders on low flame and saute. Add in the chopped tomatoes. Finally add the fried kada, combine with the masala. Add in half cup water to cook and adjust salt. 

                  

• Cook covered on medium flame till its cooked or 10 minutes. Mix everthing well in between and flip the masala well, add more water if needed. Toss in a pinch of sugar to balance flavors.
• Dry up all the water content and roast on high flame for two minutes.
• Add in chopped coriander leaves, serve warm.

NOTES

* Adding a pinch of sugar is optional, it just balances the flavors. Omit if you don't like.

* I have used kashmiri chilli powder for roast. But you can always add the hot chilli powder or a mix of both. Alter as per tolerance.

* Lightly fry the kada to secure the outer cover and spices. This is an optional step but definitely adds a distinct flavor if done.

Please check out few more roast recipes, if interested-
* Kada Mutta Roast
* Chicken Sukka
* Egg Pepper Roast
* Special Chicken Ularthiyathu
* Beef Ularthiyathu
* Chemmeen(Prawns) roast
* Kanava (Squid) Roast
* Clams(kakkairachi)  Roast
* Chicken kerala style roast

* Meen Roast