An explosion of flavours, this succulent five-spice quail combined with the delicate eggplant textures, tantalises your tastebuds and leaves your mouth watering for more.

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Pair with: Lazy Arvo Grenache

INGREDIENTS

• 8 quails
• Master stock
• 700mL Chinese rice wine
• 600mL superior light soy
• 100g ginger
• 10 cloves garlic
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 8 star anise
• 4 stalks lemongrass
• 20 whole black peppercorns
• Five-spice salt
• 50g dry roasted five spice
• 50g salt
• 5g sugar
• Eggplant chilli salad
• 3 dried chillies
• ½ fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon sichuan pepper
• 3 large eggplant
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 30mL rice wine
• 30mL rice vinegar
• 40mL light soy
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 6 spring onions (sliced)
• ½ cup coriander leaves
• 25g sugar

METHOD

Master stock
Place all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes. Place in the fridge overnight and strain the following day.
 
Five-spice salt
Combine all ingredients.
 
Eggplant chilli salad
Deep fry eggplant pieces at 180°C, drain. Heat oil and toss garlic, ginger, chilli and spices. Add eggplant. Immediately add rice wine, rice vinegar, soy, stock and sugar. Bring to boil on high heat, then simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.
 
To finish
Deep fry quails at 175°C until cooked. Remove from heat and sprinkle with five-spice salt. Place on eggplant salad and serve with a small amount of master stock.