2 cups water
10 dried shiitake mushrooms
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1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cakes tofu (about 11/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
SAUCE
1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon molasses
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup soaking liquid from shiitake mushrooms
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3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3 tablespoons Chinese fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped (see page 332)
11/2 pounds fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 red or green bell pepper, thinly sliced
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chopped scallions
Bring the water to a boil. Place the shiitake in a heatproof bowl, cover with the boiling water, and set aside for about 10 minutes. Prepare all of the remaining ingredients and have them within easy reach before beginning to stir-fry.
Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Add about a third of the tofu cubes and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until tofu is lightly golden. Drain on paper towels. Stir-fry and drain the remaining tofu in two batches. Remove the wok from the heat.
Drain the shiitake, reserving the liquid. Cut off and discard the tough stems of the shiitake, and thinly slice the caps. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
Return the wok to the heat. Add the garlic and black beans to the remaining oil in the wok, and stir-fry for a minute. Add the fresh mushrooms, peppers, and shiitake, and continue to stir-fry until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup shiitake soaking liquid or water if necessary to prevent scorching. Stir in the sauce and heat to a simmer. Add the cooked tofu and gently reheat to a simmer.
Serve immediately, topping each portion with chopped scallions.
PER 8-OZ SERVING: 178 CALORIES, 8.8 G PROTEIN, 11.9 G FAT, 10.7 G CARBOHYDRATE, 225 MG SODIUM, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL.
TOTAL TIME
40 minutes
SERVINGS
4
MENU
Serve with Sesame Spinach (see page 86) and rice.
Chinese black beans contribute a rich fragrance and pungent flavor to this home-style stir-fry.