In a large mixing bowl, combine the quail, chicken bouillon, sugar, fish sauce, black pepper, dark soy sauce, and sambal oelek chili paste. Evenly coat the quail with the mixture. Allow the mix to sit on the counter while you prep the garlic, ginger, and shallot.
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan with a lid or a Vietnamese clay pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and ginger and sauté until the shallot becomes soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the quail and all of the marinade liquid to the pan. Stir to evenly distribute the aromatics. Add enough Coco Rico soda to nearly cover the quail. Bring it to a low boil, then turn the heat down to allow the liquids to simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and allow the cooking liquid to reduce by half to form a sauce; this could take an hour. Occasionally turn the quail in the sauce so the exposed meat doesn’t dry out. When the sauce has reduced, garnish the dish with sliced green onion and sliced bird’s eye chili if desired; these chilies are spicy, so be careful. Serve the sauce-coated quail with warm jasmine white rice and sliced cucumber.
