Description
A rustic game dish served in Taiwanese mountains or rural Re Chao, where whole edible-raised 'Ban Jiu' (Spotted Dove/Pigeon) is marinated in five-spice and deep-fried whole at high temp until bones are crispy.
Restaurants serving Deep-fried Pigeon (Spotted Dove)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Edible Ban Jiu(Dove)
- Soy sauce
- Five-spice powder
- Garlic
- Pepper salt
- Frying oil
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Ban Jiu Prep] Prepare whole 'Ban Jiu' (Dove: a size larger than quail) hygienically raised for food, gutted (often with head and feet attached).
- Marinate whole thoroughly for hours (or overnight) in soy sauce, rice wine, massive grated garlic, five-spice, and sugar.
- Wipe surface moisture (no batter, or extremely thin potato starch), drop whole into 170-180°C hot oil.
- Fry slowly (5-
- mins) until meat tightens, skin turns 'ultra-crunchy amber', and thin bones become crispy.
- Right before pulling from oil, flash-fry raw Jiucengta (Taiwanese basil) to transfer aroma.
- Drain, sprinkle generously with special pepper salt (Jiao Yan Fen), serve whole (or halved lengthwise).
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Exotic aroma of Five-spice and White pepper
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Small spring chicken fried whole
Pairing
High ABV Kaoliang liquor or Cold Beer
Trivia
[Hardcore] 'Eating pigeon' surprises some, but it's a high-end ingredient in French cuisine too. Taiwanese Ban Jiu is leaner than chicken, firmly textured, offering a 'rich wild umami with a hint of iron' like liver. Biting this while drinking beer after a mountain hike is Taiwanese uncles' blissful time.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Unfazed by the visual impact, boldly tear it apart by hand starting from the crispy head or wings, crunching it 'crunch crunch!' bones and all to taste the deep game umami!
Allergen
Chicken (Dove), Soy, Wheat (from soy sauce)