Char Siu Quail
Fried Rice, Eggplant Purée, Gai Lan, Hoisin Demi-Glace, Sesame Seeds, Chive Blossoms
Chef Sean Arakaki of Itsumono | Seattle, WA
Adapted by StarChefs | December 2025 | Photo: Alexander Zeren
INGREDIENTS
Char Siu Quail:
Sleeve-boned quail
2 tablespoons garlic salt
1¼ cups brown sugar
¾ cup oyster sauce
¾ cup soy sauce
½ cup hoisin
¼ cup red wine
¾ cup Shaoxing wine
5 cubes fermented red bean curd
1½ tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
½ cup honey
2 teaspoons red food coloring
Fried Rice:
Neutral oil
5 eggs, whisked
1½ cups diced lap cheong
1 cup diced yellow onions
6 cups day-old white rice
2½ tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
¾ cup tamari
2 cups scallions, thinly sliced on a bias
½ cup diced carrots
½ cup frozen peas
Kosher salt
MSG
Gai Lan:
3 pounds gai lan, trimmed
Hoisin Demi-Glace:
1 cup glace de volaille
2 tablespoons hoisin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1½ tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
Eggplant Purée:
Neutral oil
2 Italian eggplants, trimmed, peeled, and skewered
½ cup tamari
½ cup olive oil
½ cup black garlic
Sesame oil
Kosher salt
To Assemble and Serve:
Neutral oil
Flaky sea salt
Lemon
Sesame seeds
Chive blossoms
METHOD
For the Char Siu Quail:
Place quail in a shallow baking dish and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients and ½ cup water. Pour over quail. Cover and refrigerate 48 hours. Remove from marinade and let air-dry.
For the Fried Rice:
In a wok over high flame, heat oil. Add eggs and scramble until fully cooked. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside. Add lap cheong and onions to wok. Cook until onions are soft and translucent. Transfer to a paper towel-lined mixing bowl and set aside. Add rice and sesame oil to wok. Cook until rice begins to brown. Add garlic and ginger. Reduce heat to medium. Add tamari, tossing to evenly coat rice. Fold in scallions, carrots, peas, reserved eggs, and reserved onion mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and MSG. Transfer mixture to a sheet tray and let cool. Once cooled, portion with #10 scoop. Transfer to pint containers and refrigerate.
For the Gai Lan:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add gai lan and blanch 45 seconds. Shock in an ice bath. Pat dry, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate.
For the Hoisin Demi-Glace:
In a saucepan over low heat, combine all ingredients. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly until sugar fully dissolves and sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Keep warm.
For the Eggplant Purée:
Heat oven to 325°F. In a pot over high flame, heat neutral oil to 300°F. Add eggplant skewers and fry 6 minutes, or until browned. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let drain. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together tamari and olive oil. Brush fried eggplant with tamari mixture. Transfer to a sheet tray and roast 8 minutes. Brush with tamari mixture and roast additional 5 minutes. Let sit 2 hours at room temperature to cool. Once cooled, transfer to a blender. Add black garlic and purée until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve. Season with sesame oil and salt. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
Prepare and heat a steamer. In a saucepan over low heat, warm Eggplant Purée. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm Hoisin Demi-Glace. Place Char Siu Quail on a clean work surface. Stuff cavities with Fried Rice. Tuck wings behind back and cross legs. Wrap Char Siu Quail tightly in plastic wrap. Steam 18 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and let cool. In a saucepan over low flame, heat oil. Add Gai Lan and sear on all sides until warmed through. Season with flaky salt, lemon juice, and sesame seeds. Set aside. Using a blowtorch, evenly char Char Siu Quail on all sides. Season with flaky salt. Set aside. Place 1 quenelle warmed Eggplant Purée on a serving plate. Top with seared Gai Lan and stuffed Char Siu Quail. Spoon warmed Hoisin Demi-Glace over top. Garnish with chive blossoms.
