You’ll need
15 gm (3cm piece) galangal, sliced
2 tsp white glutinous rice
5 golden shallots, thinly sliced
60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice, or to taste
60 ml (¼ cup) fish sauce, or to taste
½ cup (firmly packed) coriander, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
¼ cup (firmly packed) mint, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp crushed light palm sugar, or to taste
½ tsp roasted dried chilli flakes, or to taste
White corn tortillas
– 250 gm (1¾ cups)
– white masa flour (see note)
Barbecued pineapple salsa
500 gm pineapple (about ½ pineapple), thickly sliced
½ Spanish onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup coarsely chopped coriander
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp olive oil
Method
- For white corn tortillas, combine flour, 340ml hot water and a large pinch of salt in a bowl and mix with your hands until a soft dough forms. Cover closely with plastic wrap and set aside to rest (15 minutes). Divide dough into 35gm pieces and roll into balls. Line a tortilla press with two squares of baking paper, then, working with one ball at a time, press gently but firmly in press to form a thin disc. Set aside on baking paper and cover with a tea towel.
- Dry-roast galangal in a small frying pan over high heat until fragrant and toasted (4-6 minutes), transfer to a mortar and pestle, pound until finely ground, transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add rice to pan and cook, shaking occasionally, until roasted (3-5 minutes), transfer to mortar and pestle, pound until finely ground and set aside.
- Heat a wok over high heat, add quail and 60ml water and stir continuously until cooked through (3-4 minutes). Remove wok from heat, add ground galangal, ground rice and remaining ingredients (except extra coriander), toss to coat quail, adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.
- For barbecued pineapple salsa, preheat a char-grill pan over high heat, add pineapple in batches and char-grill until golden (1-2 minutes each side). Dice and transfer to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, season to taste and set aside.
- Preheat a cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat, add tortillas one at a time and cook, turning once, until bubbles appear on the surface and base browns (30-45 seconds each side). Wrap in a cloth napkin to steam, soften and keep warm.
- Serve warm tortillas topped with quail, barbecued pineapple salsa and extra coriander.
(Gourmet Traveller, 2010)
