Kwek Kwek without Baking Powder

Kwek is a famous Filipino street food delight in the Philippines made with boiled quail eggs coated in orange batter and deep-fried to perfection. Many Filipinos enjoy this delicious snack, a common sight in the busy streets of Manila and other cities.

Today, I will show you how to make it at home.

What is Kwek Kwek?

• Kwek is a Filipino street food made of boiled quail eggs coated in an orange batter and deep-fried until golden brown.  It is often called the orange egg, and this is cooked deep-fried as tempura-style eggs. The word “kwek kwek” is a term taken from the sound of quail eggs when they are dropped into the batter. This snack is often sold in small food stalls or push carts and is usually served with a sweet and sour sauce or vinegar. 

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Why You’ll love this 

• Cheap– there are two ways to cook this: canned quail or fresh ones, and in this post, I use both. Either way, they are both cheap to make since, chances are, you already have the rest of the ingredients in your pantry.
• Easy– if you use canned quail, this is extra easy to make since you no longer have to boil the eggs. As for making the batter, all you need is your muscles to mix, and the batter is not even hard to mix.

• Homemade- Nothing beats the beauty of making this at home. You can make this as fresh as you can. You can add more salt or decrease it. You can customize the taste as you like it.
• Manong’s Kwek Kwek Sauce-the sauce here is made of vinegar with ginger, chilis, garlic plus other ingredients.  You can use this sauce for fried fish, or dipping sauce for the Fishball Sauce.
• Taste of cultural street food – you be transported to the Philippines without physically going there.
• Yummy taste- this is seriously a delicious and convenient snack you can share with the family.

What is Kwek Kwek made of?

• Kwek Kwek is made of quail eggs or chicken eggs. The eggs are boiled and coated with cornstarch and then dip into a homemade orange batter before deep-frying.

How To Make It At  Home?

If you are a fan and want to make this delicious snack at home, here is a simple recipe you can follow.

What is Kwek Kwek Made of?

The ingredients are relatively simple and can be easily found in most grocery stores. Here’s a breakdown of each component and their purpose in the recipe:   

• Quail Eggs: Quail eggs are the main ingredient. They are boiled and then coated in batter before being deep-fried.
• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is used as a base for the batter, providing the batter’s structure and texture.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is added to the batter to make it crispy and crunchy.
• Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of the batter and the quail eggs.

• Ground Pepper: Ground pepper adds a subtle flavor to the batter.
• Water: Water is added to the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter.
• Orange Food Color: Orange food color is added to give the Kwek Kwek its distinctive color.
• Achuete Powder: Achuete powder, also known as annatto, is a natural food coloring that adds a deeper orange color to the batter.
• Cooking Oil: Cooking oil is used to deep-fry the Kwek Kwek. Any neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable or canola, can be used.

Kwek Kwek Procedure

Boil and Prepare the Quail Eggs for Frying

Place the quial egg into a small saucepan and add in two cups of water. Turn the heat on to medium low and let the egg cook for six minutes. When done, dip the eggs into an bowl with ice nd submerge them. Peel the egg and pat dry with paper towel. Coat the eggs with cornstarch.

Kwek Kwek Batter

• Combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, ground pepper, orange food color, achuete powder, and water in a mixing bowl. Mix until the batter is smooth and has no lumps.

Frying the Quail Eggs:

• Heat the oil in a medium size sauce pan.
• Once the oil is hot, dip the quail eggs into the batter individually. Now coat the egg thoroughly in the batter by using a fork. And gently remove any excess batter by tapping the fork on the side of the bowl.
• Slowly place the coated quail egg into the hot oil. Fry until the batter is crispy and golden brown, which usually takes 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the eggs from the oil using a slotted spoon. Drain any excess oil by placing them on a plate lined with paper towels.
• Repeat the process with the remaining quail eggs and batter.

Common Questions

• Is eating kwek kwek healthy?

Eating this in moderation is healthy. After all, the egg is an excellent source of protein, but deep frying it with the egg coating can make it less beneficial.

• What do you call Kwek Kwek in English?

We call this the orange egg, which is based on its striking orange color. Annato powder made this staple orange color possible.

Can I Use Chicken Eggs Instead Of Quail Eggs For This Recipe?

• While quail eggs are the traditional choice for this, you can also use chicken eggs instead. The cooking time may be slightly longer for chicken eggs, and the outcome may be slightly larger, but the recipe will still work.

Why is it famous in the Philippines?

The main reason why it’s famous in my country- Pulutan. It is renowned in the Philippines as a snack food and great for snacking during drinking session with family and friends. It is also sold everywhere, so you cannot munch on it.

What to Serve it with?

• This is often eaten by itself but is also great with rice. You can dip it in Chili Sauce , and you can drop it with this homemade Fishball Sauce.

Is the Tokneneng and kwek kwek the same?

• The big ones is called Tokneneng uses chicken egg.You can use different types of eggs, but we often use quail eggs to make this. Both menus use eggs, but the difference is the type of egg used. 

How much is kwek kwek in the Philippines?

• This is sold very cheaply, less than a dime in US currency.

Can I Make The Batter Ahead Of Time And Store It In The Refrigerator?

• It is not recommended to make the batter ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. After preparation, the batter should be used immediately for the best texture and crispiness. If you need to make the batter ahead of time, please store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to an hour.

How to Boil Quail Egg and How Long?

• Place the quail eggs in a medium-sized saucepan and add water. Let the egg cook for six minutes.

Can I use a different type of food coloring if I don’t have orange food color or Annato powder?

• Yes, you can use a different type of food coloring if you don’t have orange food color or Annato powder. However, remember that the batter’s color will affect the overall appearance, and you can use red or yellow food coloring to achieve a similar effect.

Can I make it without food color?

• You can make this without food color, for sure as the food color is added for aesthetic reasons. In this recipe, I added Annato powder which gives the egg its typical orange color. 

Storage Instructions

• I highly recommend cooking just enough that you can consume it, as this snack is not good when eaten later. The batter tends to sag when it sits around for a long time.

Kwek Kwek Sauce

There are several dipping sauces you can dip your egg:

• Chili Sauce
• Fishball Sauce
• Datu Puti Vinegar