Does anybody else feels that this week went by fast? Probably because of Labor Day Holiday on Monday. My siblings came to visit and spend the night during the holiday. With them my Mother also sent me a big pot of my favorite Cambodian herb the holy basil (Maress Prov). I love that stuff! In addition, I also got some more Lemongrass Paste (Kroeung) which I am now offering for sale. Now that I have all my ingredients in place it’s time for me to share with you how I make one of my most favorite Cambodian dish which is this Fiery Stir Fry Lemongrass Quail (Cha Kdov (Kroeung) Krouch) ឆារគ្រឿង(ក្តៅ)ក្រួច. It is soooo delicious! These quails were finely chopped (grounded) into very small pieces bone and all. You can substitute with ground chicken but make sure to cook until the liquid evaporate to avoid a soggy stir fry. If you can get holy basil, I definitely recommend it otherwise use Thai basil instead.

My recipe is for 4-5 servings as I plan to enjoy it several times. Yeah, it’s that good that I don’t mind having leftovers another 2-3 times. Oh and for drinkers, it’s great with alcohol drinks.

Fiery Stir-Fried Lemongrass Quail
(Cha Kdov (Kroeung) Krouch) ឆារគ្រឿង(ក្តៅ)ក្រួច

Ingredients
6 quails, finely chopped (ground)
½ cup lemongrass paste (now available for sale)
10 jalapeños, sliced lengthwise (adjust amount to taste)
1 tablespoon finely chopped Pahok (optional)
1 bunch of holy basil leaves
1 tablespoon tamarind soup base
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Method:
Heat a pan and fry the lemongrass and pahok (if using) until fragrant. Add (ground) chopped quails and continue to stir fry until they are cook. It will be dry but that’s okay.

Next add jalapeños and season with tamarind soup base, sugar and fish sauce. Quickly stir to combine the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your preference. Turn the heat off and add holy basil leaves. Give it a final stir and transfer to a serving dish. Serve with hot steamy rice.