Quail are tricky.

Having plucked and trussed these long beaked birds,

make a small hole in front of one leg of each.

Pull out the stomachs and intestines (guts).

Having plucked and trussed these long beaked birds,

leaving the remaining entrails undisturbed,

pull out the stomachs and intestines (guts).

Skin the heads and remove the eyes, claws and outer skins,

leaving the remaining entrails undisturbed.

Bend the heads round and ease out those beaks,

skin the heads and remove the eyes, claws and outer skins.

Push the beaks through the thighs at one side.

Bend the heads round and ease out those beaks.

Split right through them and the heads and tuck back in place.

Push the beaks through the thighs at one side.

Cook for five minutes. For service flame the birds.

Split right through them and the heads and tuck back in place.

make a small hole in front of one leg of each

Cook for five minutes. For service flame the birds.

Quail are tricky.

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(A found pantoum. Original text source: The Ambitious Cook, by Fanny and Johnnie Craddock)

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Nancy Gandhi is an American living in Chennai, in South India. She is a paragraphist and amateur.