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Kwek-Kwek

Prep 15 min
Cook 10 min
Servings 24 pieces
Difficulty Easy
Recipe by Nanay Rosa |

Kwek-Kwek

Crispy Orange-Battered Quail Eggs

Prep Time 15 min
Cook Time 10 min
Servings 24 pieces
Difficulty Easy
Kwek

About This Recipe

Kwek-Kwek is an iconic Filipino street food that you'll find in almost every corner of the Philippines. These are hard-boiled quail eggs coated in bright orange batter (colored with annatto) and deep-fried until crispy. The name is onomatopoeic, mimicking the sound of a duck or chicken.

What makes kwek-kwek addictive is the combination of the crunchy batter with the creamy egg inside, dipped in spicy vinegar or sweet sauce. It's cheap, delicious, and quintessentially Pinoy street food. The larger version using chicken eggs is called "Tokneneng."

Ingredients

For the Kwek-Kwek:

  • 24 quail eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 tbsp annatto powder (for orange color)
  • 2 cups cooking oil for frying

For the Spicy Vinegar Dip:

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 2-3 bird's eye chili, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp sugar

Instructions

  1. 1

    Prepare the Eggs

    Boil quail eggs for 5-6 minutes. Transfer to ice bath, then peel carefully. Pat completely dry with paper towels - this helps the batter stick.

  2. 2

    Make the Batter

    Combine flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and annatto powder in a bowl. Gradually add water while whisking until you get a smooth, thick batter that coats the back of a spoon.

  3. 3

    Coat the Eggs

    Lightly dust peeled eggs with flour, then dip into the orange batter, making sure they're completely coated.

  4. 4

    Deep Fry

    Heat oil to 350°F. Carefully drop battered eggs into hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally until golden orange and crispy. Don't overcrowd the pan.

  5. 5

    Make the Sauce and Serve

    Combine all dipping sauce ingredients. Serve kwek-kwek hot with the spicy vinegar. Some vendors also offer sweet sauce (sukang maasim) as an alternative.

Tips & Variations

Annatto Color

Use annatto powder or steep annatto seeds in water for the signature orange color. Turmeric is an alternative.

Tokneneng

Use chicken eggs instead of quail eggs for the larger version called "Tokneneng."

Spicy Sawsawan

The spicier the vinegar dip, the better! Adjust chili to your heat preference.