Lemony, Spiced, Tandoor Quail
At Samode, a 400-year-old palace-turned-hotel north of Jaipur in the Aravalli hills, chef Krishna Kumar told Peggy Markel his secret for especially juicy and tender quail: Marinate the bird first in lemon juice and hot paprika, then in a mixture of yogurt, ginger and the spice blend garam masala. Cooking the quail on a grill pan, then popping it in a Western-style oven, gives it a nicely smoky flavor similar to the kind created by a tandoor oven. More Great Indian Recipes
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Even farm-raised quail has a gamey intensity that makes it more suitable for red wine than white. Pour a good Pinot Noir with these Indian-spiced birds—Pinot's own gaminess complements quail perfectly. Oregon Pinots tend to be spicier and earthier than fruity California ones.