Deep Fried Squab Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Soak dried tangerine peel. 2. Slice ginger root. Then place in a heavy pan, along with sugar, soy sauce, water, cinnamon, star anise and soaked tangerine peel. Bring to a boil. 3. Wipe squabs with a damp cloth. Add to pan and bring to a boil again. Then simmer, covered, 30 minutes, turning frequently for even coloring. Drain well and let cool. Dry with paper toweling. 4. Heat oil. Add squabs one at a time and deep-fry until crisp and golden. Drain on paper toweling. 5. With a cleaver, chop birds, bones and all, in bite-size pieces. Serve with a pepper-salt mix (see Seasonings and Sauces, Basic Pepper-Salt Mix). NOTE: Use about 6 inches of oil to cover the squabs completely when deep-frying. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

Steps:

• 1. With a cleaver, chop each squab in quarters. Place in a bowl. 2. Combine soy sauce and sherry, then rub into skin. Let stand 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain, discarding marinade. 3. Heat oil. Add squabs, a few pieces at a time, and deep-fry 1 minute. Drain on paper toweling. Let cool slightly. 4. Reheat oil and return squab sections. Deep-fry, turning frequently, until crisp and golden. Drain again on paper toweling. 5. Cut lettuce in strips and arrange on a serving platter. Arrange squab over lettuce. Serve with lemon wedges and salt. NOTE: The diner squeezes lemon juice over the squab, then dips each section in salt before eating. VARIATIONS: * In step 2, add to the soy-sherry mixture 2 slices fresh ginger root, minced. * In step 2, rub the squabs with soy sauce only then deep-fry. After step 4, heat in a saucepan 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons sherry, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and a few drops of sesame oil. When this mixture comes to a boil, add deep-fried squab sections and simmer, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with lemon slices and serve. * Omit steps 1 and 2. With a cleaver, chop the squabs, bones and all, in 1 1/2-inch squares. Then coat with a batter of 1/2 cup water-chestnut flour 1 egg, beaten 1/2 garlic clove and 1/2 scallion stalk, both minced 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons soy sauce and a dash of pepper. Deep-fry as in steps 3 and 4. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, shallot, ginger, honey, nuoc mam, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, stir once or twice, and cool.
• Split the birds in half-through the breastbone and backbones-and marinate them in this mixture for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight (in the refrigerator for longer marinating times).
• Start a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be only moderately hot and the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Drain the birds and grill them for about 6 minutes per side or until done to your taste; squab is at its best when still fairly pink. (Quail will take about the same amount of time; game hens will take about 20 minutes total). Meanwhile, mix the pepper and salt together.
• When the birds are done, drizzle them with the sesame oil and serve, passing the pepper-and-salt mixture at the table.
• Marinated and Sautéed Squab
• In step 3, drain the birds well and dry with paper towels. Place 2 tablespoons oil in one or more large skillets and turn the heat to high. Cook the birds until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the squab are done. (Quail will take about the same amount of time; I would not recommend doing Cornish hens this way.) Finish and serve as directed.
• Deep-Fried Squab
• This is quite a different procedure, more work, but very good. Double the amount of marinade. Bring the marinade to a boil in a large saucepan and cook the birds in it, sequentially if necessary, for about 10 minutes each. Remove and let dry on a rack (you can do this a day ahead of time; let dry in the refrigerator). When you're ready to cook, bring a large pot of corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil to about 350°F (a pinch of flour will sizzle, and the oil will thin and start to shimmer). Fry the birds, sequentially if necessary, until browned and crisp about 10 minutes. (Quail are excellent this way; reduce the initial cooking time to 5 minutes each; I would not recommend doing Cornish hens this way.) Serve with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• 1. Soak dried bean curd. 2. Wipe squabs with a damp cloth and dry well with paper toweling. 3. Heat oil. Add squabs, one at a time, and deep-fry, turning and basting, until light golden. Drain on paper toweling. 4. With a cleaver, chop squabs, bones and all, in 1- by 2-inch pieces. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Slice ginger root, mince scallion and add, along with soy sauce, sherry, star anise and cinnamon stick. 5. Steam 30 minutes (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). 6. Meanwhile slice bamboo shoots and soaked bean curd. Cut remaining scallion stalks in 1-inch sections. Blend cornstarch and cold stock to a paste. 7. Heat oil. Add bamboo shoots, bean curd and scallions. Stir-fry to cook through (3 to 4 minutes). 8. Stir in salt. Then stir in cornstarch paste to thicken. Pour over squabs in their steaming bowl and serve. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

Steps:

• 1. Soak dried tangerine peel. 2. Mince garlic, ginger root, scallions and soaked tangerine peel then combine with salt, cinnamon and star anise, mixing well. 3. Wipe squabs with a damp cloth. Coat with mixture. Then place in a heatproof bowl. 4. Steam 45 minutes (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). Remove squabs. Rinse off seasonings under cold running water. Dry well with paper toweling. 5. Rub skin lightly with soy sauce return to heatproof bowl and steam 10 minutes more. Remove and let cool. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. 6. Heat oil. Dredge squabs lightly in cornstarch then add, one at a time, and deep-fry, turning and basting, until golden. Drain on paper toweling. 7. With a cleaver, chop each in quarters garnish with lemon wedges and serve. NOTE: Use about 6 inches of oil to cover the squabs completely when deep-frying. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.