Instructions: Boil two large pots of water. Blanch the bean sprouts in one of the pots and cook the noodles in the other, stirring with chopsticks.

When they are both cooked freshen the noodles and bean sprouts in two separate bowls of iced water. Drain the noodles into a bowl and mix in the sesame oil, using your hands to coat them.

Put the quails on a small plate and steam them for 8 minutes - keep them on the plate to avoid them sticking to the steamer.

Mix the rice, sugar and tea together in a bowl. Cut a piece of foil to fit the bottom of your wok. Add 9 dessertspoons of the tea mixture to the wok, then place a raised circular rack in the wok so that it rises above the tea mixture. Put the wok on a hot stove.

Remove the quails from the steamer and rub them with sesame oil. Place them on the rack in the wok when the tea starts to smoke. Cover the wok with foil and cook for 5 minutes on the heat and 5 minutes off the heat.

Remove the foil, take out the quails with tongs and cut into breast and leg joints with scissors.

Take the tea and foil out of the wok and return it to the heat. Add the groundnut oil and quails, toss and turn them until crispy.

To make the dressing, whisk together the five spice oil, soy sauce, chilli flakes, salt, sugar, rice wine vinegar and chilli sauce.

Mix the noodles and bean sprouts in a large serving dish and pour the dressing over, using your hands to mix together. Place the raw vegetables in clumps around the noodles and put the quail joints on top of the salad.

Serve.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.