By Sana Shakeel

I am freaking out in the quarantine time because everything is shut down and I have literally no place to go, no place for outing and obviously it is not a good option to order something from outside because of all the unhygienic and cleaning issues. As you already know me by now, that it is almost impossible for me to stay at home for so long because I love to go outside and try new food and taste new recipes. I have controlled myself and I’m saving myself as well as others from this pandemic. It is very important to stay at home and follow all the instructions provided by the government because it is for our own safety.

The situation is unpredictable but the only thing which is predictable is Food….

 We love food, and we eat to survive but, in my case, ‘I live for food’. If you are living with kids in your home, then it is very difficult for you to keep them busy with an activity to refrain them from going outside. Keeping them busy in various activities and games helps you to divert their minds from outdoor games. BBQ is a good idea for family dinners. Its preparation is quite exciting, and your kids can also help you in this.

BBQ Quail recipe

Quail is a small short-tailed game bird which is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which help to support our immune system and grill food has less fat. Plus, it is low in Sodium, it contains Thiamine, Selenium, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Iron and Zinc and a very good source of Protein.

If you want to lose weight Quail will also help you as it is rich in Vitamin B which is proves to speed up metabolism, which result in reducing of digestion problem and help with weight loss. A high metabolic activity helps burn calories faster, promoting weight loss.

Ingredient

• Half kg Quail (clean and wash)
• Extra- virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• lemon juice
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Ginger paste
• Garlic paste  
• Curd

Method/ Direction

1. Ask your butcher to remove backbones from quails so that they lie flat.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix ginger and garlic paste, curd and tikka masala into a thick paste.
3. Add quails to the spice paste and keep aside for 1 hour in refrigerator. This will help in margination and maintaining the shape of the bird.
4. After one hour of refrigeration, let the quails stand for 10-15 minutes to reach the room temperature before moving to the grilling process.
5. Preheat a barbecue grill plate to high heat.
6. Grill the quail, skin side down, until the outside is crisp, and the interior is cooked through, about 6-7 minutes per side.
7. Brush each quail evenly with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
8. Sprinkle each quail with a pinch of the spiced salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
9. Serve them on a platter with some lemon slices, green and red chilies and fresh coriander.