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Banana-blossom salad with seared quail and chilli, lime and coconut dressing

Banana-blossom salad with seared quail and chilli, lime and coconut dressing

“While on holiday in Queensland, my wife and I enjoyed a great meal at Spirit House. We’d love Damien Ryan’s recipe for banana-blossom salad with seared quail and chilli, lime and coconut dressing.”
Tony May, via email

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Banana-blossom salad with seared quail and chilli, lime and coconut dressing

Serves 6
Cooking Time Prep time 20 mins, cook 15 mins (plus marinating)
3   small red chillies, coarsely chopped
2   garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
60 ml   (¼ cup) fish sauce
1 tbsp   kecap manis
6   quail (about 135gm each), butterflied
Chilli, lime and coconut dressing
25 gm   light palm sugar
100 ml   fish sauce
100 ml   lime juice
50 gm   chilli jam (see note)
50 ml   coconut cream
Banana-blossom salad
125 gm   (1 cup) unsalted peanuts
6   green onions, thinly sliced, white ends only
1   Spanish onion (200gm), thinly sliced
1 cup   shredded coconut flesh (see note)
1 cup   (firmly packed) coriander leaves
75 gm   (1 cup) fried shallots
1   banana blossom, thinly sliced, placed in acidulated water, drained before use
3   long red chillies, finely sliced


1 Pound chilli and garlic to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle, stir in remaining ingredients. Place quail in a single layer in a non-reactive container, pour marinade over and refrigerate (1-2 hours), turning to coat occasionally.
2 Meanwhile, for chilli, lime and coconut dressing, pound palm sugar and fish sauce in a mortar and pestle to dissolve sugar. Add lime juice and chilli jam, then slowly whisk in the coconut cream. Adjust seasoning to taste and reserve. Makes about 250ml.
3 Heat a chargrill pan over medium heat, remove quail from marinade and cook in batches, turning often until cooked through (10-12 minutes). Set aside and keep warm.
4 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C. Roast peanuts on an oven tray until golden (3-5 minutes). Cool, coarsely chop and transfer to a bowl. Add remaining salad ingredients, drizzle half coconut dressing over, toss to combine. Serve immediately with quail and extra dressing.

Note Chilli jam is available from selected food stores. For fresh shredded coconut, open coconut and scrape with a citrus zester.

RECIPE Damien Ryan, Spirit House PHOTOGRAPHY Ben Dearnley STYLING Vanessa Austin


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