Ingredients:
4 whole dried woodear mushrooms (about 1/6 ounce)
1/4 ounce dried morel or porcini mushrooms, or a mix
1 (2-inch)
piece of kombu (optional, see note above)
1 1/2 cups boling water
6 ounces white button mushrooms, stems trimmed, quartered
1/3 cup
vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons Shaoxing
wine (see note above)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2
tablespoons whole Sichuan peppercorns, divided (see note above)
2
tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns, one tablespoon left whole, the
other toasted and ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle
2 whole dried chinese hot chilies
3 garlic cloves grated on a
microplane grater
1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated on a
microplane grater
4 scallions, whites finely chopped, greens
thinly sliced, reserved separately
12 chinese chives or regular
chives cut into 1/2-inch segments
3 tablespoons minced yacai
(Chinese preserved mustard root, see note above, optional)
2
tablespoons fermented chili broad bean paste (see note above)
2
tablespoons roasted chili oil (see note above)
1 1/2 pounds
medium to firm silken tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Preparation:
- Combine dried mushrooms and kombu (if using) in a
small bowl or liquid measuring cup and cover with water. Place a
paper towel or kitchen towel directly on surface of water to keep
mushrooms mostly submerged. Set aside for ten minutes to rehydrate.
- Meanwhile, place button mushrooms in the bowl of a food processor
and pulse until chopped into rough 1/4-inch pieces, about 6 to 8
one-second pulses. Combine chopped button mushrooms and oil in the
bottom of a large wok. Heat over high heat, stirring constantly,
until mushrooms are shriveled and well browned, 6 to 10 minutes.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer set over a small saucepan.
Transfer fried mushrooms to a medium bowl and return oil to wok.
- When dried mushrooms are rehydrated, strain through a fine mesh
strainer set over a small bowl. Discard kombu. Discard all but 3/4
cups soaking liquid. Add cornstarch, wine, and soy sauce to liquid.
Transfer drained mushrooms to a cutting board. Remove and discard
hard central stems from woodear mushrooms, then finely chope all the
mushrooms. Add to bowl with fried mushrooms.
- Add whole Sichuan
peppercorns and both chilis to oil in wok and return to high heat.
Cook until fragrant and peppercorns have stopped sputtering. Do not
overcook, or they will burn. Immediately strain through a fine mesh
strainer, discard peppercorns and chilies, and return oil to wok.
- Heat oil over high heat until lightly smoking. Add garlic, ginger,
scallion whites, chives, and yacai (if using). Stir-fry until
fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chopped mushrooms and stir-fry to
combine. Add fermented chili broad bean paste and stir until all the
vegetables are well coated. Stir mushroom liquid mixture to
incorporate cornstarch, then add to wok. Cook, stirring constantly,
until lightly thickened and reduced, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tofu
and carefully fold in, trying not to break it.
- Cook until tofu
is heated through. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with chili
oil, and top with scallions and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Serve
immediately with white rice.
Your question and comments are welcome
