If you are starting out with a whole bird, remove both breasts, leaving the skin on one of them. Remove the thighs/legs and put them aside for another use. 

Remove all of the skin and fat from the carcass (and the one breast) and chop into small pieces. 

Roast the carcass in the oven at 400°F (200°C, gas mark 6) for 20 minutes, or until golden brown, then cover it in water and simmer for several hours. Strain the broth, discard the bones, and use the liquid for this or other recipes. 

Take the skin and fat and put them into a skillet with 1/4 cup (60ml) of water over medium heat. Once the water evaporates, turn down to low. Cook for at least 1 hour, or until all of the fat renders out of the skin and you’re left with liquid fat (schmaltz) and crispy bits. Save the crispy bits as a topping for the xoi man. Use the fat for cooking instead of vegetable oil. 

Turn one of the breasts into floss, and use the other in this recipe. 

Heat the 2 tbsps of schmaltz or oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the sliced shallots. 

Cook, stirring regularly for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes or so, until the shallots are brown and crispy. 

Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel, then set aside.  Reserve the oil. 

Bring the 3 cups of pheasant stock or water to a bare simmer. Add the pheasant breast and cook for about 15 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. 

Remove from the water and set aside in the fridge. Reserve the water. 

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the quail eggs and boil for EXACTLY 3 minutes. Remove from the hot water and immediately run them under cold running water to stop them from cooking. Peel them, sliced them in half from top to bottom, then set aside. 

Heat up the oil or fat in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the liver and fry for 2.5 minutes a side, or until medium doneness. 

Mince the liver with a knife, then add to a mortar and pestle or food processor (or use the knife blade to scrape it back and forth across the cutting board until it’s a paste). Add the fish sauce, garlic powder, and pound or process until smooth. Add the mayo and mix together well. Set aside in the fridge. 

Cook rice as per package instructions, using the poaching liquid from the pheasant breast instead of water.

Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) of the fat or oil used to cook the shallots in a skillet, over medium high heat.

Fry the maitake/hen of the woods mushroom in the oil for 5 minutes a side, then remove. 

Slice the lap cheong sausage on a bias, then add to the pan. Fry for 2 minutes, then remove.

Take the poached pheasant breast out of the fridge and slice it thinly. 

Add the mushrooms, breast, and sausage to the rice, along with the sugar and soy sauce. Stir it in. 

Beat the 2 eggs together with a pinch of salt and the fish sauce. 

Heat up oil (or use any leftover oil from the lap cheong) over medium heat and pour the beaten egg into the skillet. 

Once it begins to set, flip 1/3 over towards the middle, then flip again so the omelette is rectangular. 

Remove from the heat, then slice thinly into ribbons. 

Mince the chilies if using and slice the scallions. 

Spread the mixed rice evenly between 4 plates. 

Divide the toppings evenly: quail eggs, omelette, crispy shallots, crispy skin bits (if using, see step 1), pheasant floss, liver sauce, chilies, and finally scallions. 

Serve with chili oil or hot sauce. Enjoy!