I was planning on cooking Scotch Eggs but I got lazy last night after cooking an entire take a few hours earlier. Besides, I had fresh mushrooms in the fridge that I didn’t want to go to waste. So, why not a stir-fried dish? It would be fast, it entails less work and the kids would be happy to have some sauce to pour into their rice. And because stir-fried dishes almost always result in “extending” the meat, I figured there would be enough for the kids’ packed school lunch today. I wasn’t mistaken. Fresh white button mushrooms may be substituted with shiitake mushrooms. You can even use dried shiitake. For some reason, unlike other varieties of mushrooms, dried shiitake retains its distinct flavor and aroma. Just rehydrate in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes and use as you would fresh shiitake.
About the ground beef. There is a coarse grind and there is a fine grind. Finely ground beef is great for hamburger patties and meatballs but not for stir-fried dishes. Coarsely ground beef is better for stir-fries. If you want optimum results, minced beef would be best. More work though.
Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up any lumps. Continue cooking until the beef starts to brown. Add the garlic and onion and stir fry for a minute or so. Season with a little salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Add the quail eggs, sliced mushroom caps, and stems, and pour in the oyster sauce. At this point, the mushrooms will expel water which, when mixed with the oyster sauce, will make a wonderful sauce. Stir fry until the mushrooms are cooked through. Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with sesame seed oil, and sprinkle the onion leaves on top.