Rendezvous of Quails and Quail Eggs

Originally this Sichuanese dish called for pigeons rendezvous-ing with pigeon eggs. But pigeon eggs, rare enough for the table in China these days, are almost unheard of in the West. Inspired by the idea, however, I have used quails and their eggs, both of which are easily available and not very expensive either.

Because quail meat is delicate, it can taste dry and pulpy if overcooked, and this pitfall often occurs when quails are roasted in the oven. Deep-frying them, on the other