Crispy, golden batter wrapped around a tender quail egg, Kwek Kwek doesn’t play around. It’s fun, delicious, and everything you want from a street snack—especially one that revolves around eggs.
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I keep coming back to this one because it’s so simple and so good. Quail eggs are already rich and delicate, but drop them in a punchy batter and fry until the edges crunch? You get a texture bomb in a single bite. These are the kind of snacks that don’t make it to the plate because people eat them straight from the paper towel.
You’ll find these Filipino battered and deep-fried quail eggs all over the Philippines, skewered on sticks and handed over with a plastic cup of vinegar sauce. Kwek-Kwek is fast, but it’s not forgettable. The orange color comes from annatto powder, and while it doesn’t change the flavor much, it provides that trademark glow that tells you they’re going to be good.
Ingredients You Need
Most of what you need for Kwek Kwek is probably already in your pantry. You may need to hit an Asian grocery for the annatto powder and quail eggs, but everything else is standard stuff.
- Quail eggs: Smaller than chicken eggs, with a creamy texture, quail eggs are the star of the dish. Check out my guide to How to Cook Quail Eggs before you cook them!
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the batter.
- Cornstarch: Helps create a light, crispy texture and keeps the batter from being too heavy.
- Baking powder: Adds a little lift to the batter so it puffs while frying.
- Salt: For seasoning the batter.
- Ground black pepper: Adds a little depth and bite.
- Water: Use cold water to help the batter stay crisp.
- Annatto powder: Gives the batter its signature orange color—look for annatto powder in Asian or Latin American markets.
- Cooking oil: Any neutral oil works well for deep frying.
How To Make Kwek-Kwek
Despite the longer ingredient list, you’ll be surprised at how quick this dish is to make. Here’s how:
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- Make the batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients, then stir in water with dissolved annatto powder to make a thick, smooth batter.
- Prep the eggs: Coat the boiled and peeled quail eggs in cornstarch to help the batter stick.
- Dip and coat: Dip each egg in the batter, turning it to make sure it’s fully coated.
- Fry until crispy: Drop the battered eggs into hot oil and fry until golden and puffed. Turn them so they cook evenly.
- Drain and serve: Let them drain briefly on paper towels, then serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Expert Tips for Success
Kwek-Kwek is quick, but a few small moves will help you nail it on the first try.
- Use cold water in your batter for a crisper finish.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch coating on the eggs—it helps the batter grip the surface.
- Fry in small batches to avoid crowding the pan and dropping the oil temperature.
- Turn the eggs gently while frying to get even browning without knocking off the coating.
- Serve them hot—these don’t wait around well.
More Ways to Enjoy Hard-Boiled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are one of the most useful things you can have in your fridge. Whether you’re eating them plain with salt or folding them into something more layered, they show up ready to work. Kwek-Kwek gives them the street food treatment, but you don’t need a deep fryer to make them shine.
You can marinate them to make Ramen Eggs (and yes, this works with quail eggs, too!) which add rich, salty depth to noodles or rice bowls—or just eat them cold as a snack. Bread them and pop them into hot oil for crispy, crunchy Fried Deviled Eggs. For a perfect BBQ side, try Deviled Egg Potato Salad. A Bacon and Egg Salad sandwich makes a perfect lunch, and nothing beats Avocado Toast for breakfast, especially when it’s topped with a fluffy mountain of grated hard-boiled egg.
These recipes keep hard-boiled eggs in rotation for a reason—they’re fast, reliable, and never boring.
Kwek Kwek
Robin Donovan
Ingredients
- 12 pieces quail eggs boiled and peeled
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch divided
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon annatto powder
- 1 cup cooking oil
Instructions
- Prepare the batter: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, half of the cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper.In a separate cup, dissolve the annatto powder in water. Gradually add the annatto water to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth and thick.
- Coat the quail eggs: Place the remaining cornstarch in a shallow bowl. Roll each boiled, peeled quail egg in the cornstarch so it’s lightly coated.
- Dip in batter: Dip each cornstarch-coated egg into the batter, making sure it’s completely covered. Let any excess batter drip off.
- Fry the kwek-kwek:– Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.– Gently drop the battered eggs into the hot oil a few at a time.– Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until they’re golden and crisp.– Remove from the oil and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve: Serve hot with dipping sauce—spiced vinegar, sweet chili, or a mix of soy sauce and calamansi juice all work well.
Notes
- Annatto powder is mainly for color, but you can skip it if you don’t mind a paler batter.
- Substitute chicken eggs cut into quarters if you can’t find quail eggs—just be careful, they’re more fragile.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying to avoid greasy coating.
- These are best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be crisped back up in the air fryer.
