Chinese Roasted Quail

Whisk together water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, xa xiu powder, and five-spice powder in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add halved quails and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Remove quail from the marinade, shake off excess, and place cut-sides up on a broiler pan. Discard the remaining marinade.

Broil in the preheated oven until juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler and flip quail so cut-sides are facing down. Broil until skin is browned and slightly crispy, about 5 minutes, keeping a constant eye on the oven to prevent burning. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).