Cut each quail in half along the spine and breast. Wash thoroughly and pat dry with a paper towel. Rub the quail halves with the Ahh Maa Five Spice Marinade and allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rinsed rice and the appropriate amount of water to your rice cooker. Each packet contains 2 cups of rice.

Don’t have a rice cooker? Rinse and drain rice. In a pot, bring water to a boil (3 cups for 2 servings / 6 cups for 4 servings / 9 cups for 6 servings). Add rice, stir once, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender (12–15 min / 15–18 min / 18–20 min). Remove from heat and let it sit while covered (10 min / 10–15 min / 15 min).

Dice the shallot and half of the red capsicum into 0.5 cm pieces. Mince garlic and set aside. In a small bowl, mix Ahh Maa Sticky Sauce, Ahh Maa Chilli Paste, and water (60 ml for 2 servings / 120 ml for 4 servings / 180 ml for 6 servings) until well combined. Set aside.

Trim the base of the bok choy and separate the leaves. Cut the stems from the leafy tops and soak both in water. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, heat oil (1 Tbs for 2 servings / 2 Tbs for 4 servings / 3 Tbs for 6 servings).

Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the bok choy stems and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the leafy tops and Ahh Maa Vegetable Seasoning, then stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside for serving.

Heat enough oil in a deep pot to fully submerge the quail, or preheat a deep fryer to 180°C. Carefully fry the marinated quail halves for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and set aside.

Don’t have a thermometer? Carefully insert a dry, wooden chopstick into the oil, if steady bubbles form around the submerged end, the oil is ready. Then, raise the temperature slightly for the second deep fry.

Tip: If your pot/deep fryer doesn’t have enough space, fry the quail in batches. Avoid overcrowding, as it can lower the oil temperature.

Heat a wok or pan over medium-high heat and add oil (1 Tbs for 2 servings / 2 Tbs for 4 servings / 3 Tbs for 6 servings). Sauté diced shallot and red capsicum until fragrant. Pour in the prepared sticky chilli sauce and allow it to simmer for no more than 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Add the fried quails and toss to coat evenly in the sauce whilst the sauce continues to thicken.

Plate the sticky chilli quail over steamed rice and serve with garlic bok choy. Spoon the excess sticky sauce over the quail for extra flavour if desired.