1/2 lb firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch slices
6 T vegetable oil
10 mushrooms
8 hard-boiled quail eggs, peeled (you can find these canned in Oriental groceries, or used about 3 regular eggs, quartered)
1 green onion, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 C bamboo shoots, drained
4 t bottled sate sauce (see Note for substitution)
1 t cornstarch
2 T fish sauce (Nuoc Mam) — substitute soy sauce to make it vegetarian
2 t sugar
1/2 C water
Fry tofu in 4 T oil until brown. Set aside and discard oil.
Put remaining oil in a small pot with a tight-fitting cover and heat over medium heat. Add mushrooms, eggs, green onion, bean curd, bamboo shoots, and sate sauce and cook for a few minutes.
Mix cornstarch, fish sauce, and sugar to make a smooth paste. Stir this into the pot and then cover. Cook for another 4 minutes.
Note from Meps: The first time I made this, I didn’t have any sate sauce, so I mixed together a little peanut butter, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. It was wonderful. If I’d had an open can of coconut milk, I would have used a little of that as well. I also substituted water chestnuts for the bamboo shoots.