Stir-fried Whole Scallops with Quail Eggs

Fresh scallops, newly prised open and rinsed of the embedded sand and dirt, are delicious steamed in the shell for a few minutes until they are barely done, then seasoned with a little oil and soy sauce. The Cantonese often serve them this way. Equally often, however, they will cook them after what is termed the ‘oil-explosive stir-fried’ fashion, as in this recipe I have prepared.