FIVE-SPICE CRISPY QUAIL WITH GREEN MANGO SALAD, RADISH & CASHEWS

Quail is a delicious morsel to enjoy when you want to get your hands dirty. When green mango is in season I can’t get enough of it — I love the tanginess and crunch it adds to dishes.

— 4 quails, halved, breast bone removed

— vegetable oil, for deep-frying

— plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting

— snipped coriander (cilantro) cress, to garnish

MARINADE

— 3 tablespoons sea salt

— 3 tablespoons sugar

— 2 tablespoons sichuan peppercorns, ground

— 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice

— 190 ml (6½ fl oz/¾ cup) light soy sauce

— 190 ml (6½ fl oz/¾ cup) shaoxing rice wine

— 2 cm (¾ inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

— 1 garlic clove, crushed

PALM SUGAR & CHILLI DRESSING

— 100 g (3½ oz) palm sugar (jaggery), chopped

— 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) fish sauce

— 30 ml (1 fl oz) coconut vinegar (see Note)

— 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) lime juice

— 1 garlic clove, crushed

— 1 long red chilli, seeded and finely diced

GREEN MANGO SALAD

— 2 green mangoes

— 4 radishes, finely sliced

— 155 g (5½ oz/1 cup) roasted cashew nuts

— 1½ tablespoons finely sliced saw-tooth coriander (cilantro)

TO MARINATE THE QUAIL

Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a container large enough to hold all the quail. Add the quail halves and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 6 hours.

FOR THE PALM SUGAR & CHILLI DRESSING

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the palm sugar in 100 ml (3½ fl oz) water until dissolved. Leave to cool, then stir in the remaining ingredients.

FOR THE GREEN MANGO SALAD

Peel the skin off the mangoes. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the flesh into thin strips. Lay the mango strips on a chopping board and slice them into ribbons 1 cm (½ inch) wide. Place in a bowl with the remaining salad ingredients.

TO SERVE

Heat about 10 cm (4 inches) of vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 180°C (355°F). Test by dipping a wooden chopstick into the oil: the chopstick will sizzle when the oil is ready.

Remove the quail from the marinade and pat dry with paper towel. Dust the quails in the flour, shaking off the excess. Working in two batches, gently drop the quail into the hot oil and cook for 4–5 minutes, until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain immediately on paper towel.

While still hot, toss the quail in a large mixing bowl with all the salad ingredients and the dressing.

Arrange the salad and quail on a platter and top with coriander cress.

SERVES 4 AS PART OF A SHARED MEAL