Tofu braised with spices in a mushroom broth makes a flavorful base for a dish that is quickly stir-fried with fast-cooking vegetables.
Serves 4
Time: 45 minutes
2 cups boiling water
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
½ teaspoon Chinese chili paste or hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
4 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 (15-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, cut into bite-size cubes or triangles
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound napa cabbage, sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
Rice or noodles, for serving
Chopped scallions
Pour the boiling water over the dried mushrooms, cover, and set aside. Prep the garlic, ginger, tofu, and cabbage, and have the other ingredients close at hand before beginning to cook.
In a large skillet on medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil and cook the garlic and ginger for a minute before adding the five-spice powder, chili paste, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the sherry, and 1 tablespoon of the rice vinegar. Stir well and cook on medium heat. Drain the mushrooms, reserving all the stock. Add ⅔ cup of the mushroom stock to the skillet along with the tofu pieces. Trim off and discard the stems of the shiitakes, slice the caps, and add them to the skillet. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the tofu. Remove from the heat.
Measure the remaining mushroom stock, and if needed, add enough water to yield 1¼ cups of liquid. In a small bowl, whisk this stock into the cornstarch and add the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 4 tablespoons sherry, and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. Set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large skillet on high heat, add the cabbage, and stir-fry until barely tender and still crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tofu and shiitakes and heat through. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce is bubbling and somewhat thickened. Season with more chili paste and/or soy sauce to taste.
Serve on rice or noodles, topped with scallions.
Something refreshing would be nice on the side of this flavorful dish, maybe simply sliced assorted melons. Fresh Pineapple Upside-Down Cake or Coconut-Pineapple Sorbet would sweetly finish the meal.