Kwek Kwek (Filipino Street Food)
Kwek Kwek Recipe – Fried Orange Quail Eggs
Kwek kwek, also known as tokneneng or Philippine quail egg fritters, is a popular snack in the Philippines. It’s easy to recognize due to its vibrant orange color! But why is kwek kwek so brightly colored?
The secret behind this snack’s signature hue lies in the ingredients of the recipe. The most common source of that distinct orange color comes from annatto seeds, also known as atsuete or Achuete. This natural coloring agent has been used by Filipino cooks for centuries and provides a beautiful reddish-orange tint when added to food. Annatto can be found in most local Asian markets, usually sold as dried seeds or ground powder.
In addition to annatto seed powder, there are other spices and seasonings commonly used in this recipe like turmeric powder and garlic powder for flavor. Once mixed with eggs and deep-fried until golden brown and crisp on the outside – voila – you have yourself a delicious plate of Filipino street food! Others may decide to use food coloring as a substitute. They combine yellow and red food coloring to make a bright orange color if annatto seeds powder are not readily available.
So next time you’re enjoying some crunchy Kwek Kweks, make sure you take an extra moment to appreciate just how much effort goes into making them look so vibrantly orange!
Kwek Kwek Ingredients
This dish requires just a few simple ingredients that can easily be acquired from most supermarkets or local grocery stores. You will need quail eggs, flour, water, annatto seeds powder or food coloring as a substitute (optional), cornstarch, vegetable oil for frying and salt and pepper to taste. Once you have all of your ingredients ready to go, it’s time to get started!
Cooking Instruction
To begin cooking this Filipino street food dish, start by boiling the quail eggs in a pot of water until they are fully cooked through (around 8 minutes). Once cooked, remove them from the boiling water and let it cool down for about 5 minutes before peeling off their shells gently by hand. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper and water. Mix them together until they are combined. Add yellow and red food coloring. Whisk until the mixture becomes bright orange in color and thick yet runny batter forms. Take each boiled egg individually, dredge in the cornstarch and dip it into the batter.
Carefully place them into the frying pan filled with hot oil (350°F). Cook each egg for around 4 minutes or until fully cooked. Once done, take out each egg from frying pan using tongs or a slotted spoon onto plate. Serve your freshly made Kwek Kwek with condiments like vinegar or soy sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Kwek Kwek (Filipino Street Food)
Ingredients
- 20 pieces quail eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- cooking oil for frying
- yellow and red food coloring
Instructions
- Start by boiling the quail eggs in a pot of water until they are fully cooked through (around 8 minutes).
- Once cooked, remove them from the boiling water and let it cool down for about 5 minutes before peeling off their shells gently by hand. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper and water. Mix them together until they are combined.
- Add yellow and red food coloring. Whisk until the mixture becomes bright orange in color and thick yet runny batter forms.
- Take each boiled egg individually, dredge in the cornstarch and dip it into the batter. Carefully place them into the frying pan filled with hot oil (350°F).
- Cook each egg for around 4 minutes or until fully cooked. Once done, take out each egg from frying pan using tongs or a slotted spoon onto plate.
- Serve your freshly made Kwek Kwek with condiments like vinegar or soy sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Traditional Filipino Food
Here are some popular recipes served along with Kwek Kwek during special occasions like fiestas, birthdays and wedding celebrations:
- Pancit Canton
- Pancit Bihon Guisado
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Pork Barbecue
- Chicken Barbecue
- Sweet & Spicy Dilis
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