I’ve always loved the native Lechon Manok at Tatoy’s restaurant in Iloilo. The restaurant only use native free-range chicken called bisaya for their lechon manok. The taste is always succulent and delicious, basted with annato oil and stuffed with lemongrass or tamarind leaves. It’s also relatively healthy because it’s lean, and cooked the right way it is also tender.
Here in America and even in Manila free-range chicken is hard to come by, since a lot of breeders don’t sell it commercially because it takes a long time to mature unlike the forty five day chemically fed chicken that is in the grocery stores and it has to be at the right young age for it to be tender.
I’ve always wanted to recreate the lechon manok here but can’t find the right chicken for it. A couple of weeks ago I happen-chance to see some dressed Quails while I was shopping at an Asian grocery near me. I know that the flavor profile and the texture of native chicken is closer to the avian family than poultry, I thought I’ll give it a shot. Surprise surprise I found the protein that was really close to what I was aiming for.
Here is my version of Native Lechon Manok albeit in a smaller package.
Litson nga Pugo
Panakot (Ingredients):
Young Native Chicken, Quail or Cornish hen
Marinate:
- Soy Sauce
- Salt and Pepper
- Crushed Ginger
- Crushed Garlic
- Vinegar
- Sprite (optional)
Stuffing
- Lemongrass or Tamarind Leaves
Baste:
Annato oil
Paagi (procedure) :
- Marinate the chicken for an hour or two (Do not marinate overnight if your using vinegar it will partially cook the meat)
- Stuff the inside of your Quail with lemongrass or tamarind leaves
- Sprinkle Salt and Pepper all over the Quail
- If you have a rotisserie then cook as you would a regular roast chicken and baste with annato oil
- If you have an oven, roast the Quail for 30-40 minutes at 250 degrees, baste with annato oil. Free range chicken or quail has lean meat so basting is necessary to retain moisture
- Once the meat is almost done, broil the quail to crisp up the skin
- Once done let it rest for a couple of minutes
- Serve with Sinamak (spiced vinegar) and toyo.
