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Vegetarian Claypot Bean Curd

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 dried black mushrooms

For the Sauce:
1/2 cup mushroom stock or canned vegetable broth
2 Tbsps. vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
vegetable oilfor deep frying
1 (14-ounce) package 1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
5 slices peeled ginger
2 shallots, quartered
1 leeks(white part only) halved lengthwise, rinsed well, then cut into 2-inch lengths
1 carrot, sliced thinly on the bias
1/2 cup peeled straw mushrooms

Instructions:

1. Pour enough warm water over the mushrooms in a medium bowl to cover them completely. Soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain. Discard the mushroom stems and cut the caps into quarters.

2. Prepare the sauce: Stir the vegetable stock, oyster-flavored sauce, sugar and pepper together in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Pour enough oil into a 2-quart saucepan to fill 3-inches. Bring to 350 F over medium-high heat. Slip about one-third of the tofu into the oil. Deep-fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the tofu with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tofu. Reserve the oil.

4. Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the ginger and shallots and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the black mushrooms, leek, and carrot. Stir-fry for 1 minute.

5. Transfer the contents of the wok to a clay pot. (If you do not have a clay pot, the recipe may be prepared from start to end in a wok.) Pour in the sauce and stir in the tofu and straw mushrooms. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then adjust the heat so the sauce is simmering. Cover the pot and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Serve hot from the pot, if using, or ladle the contents of the wok into a warm serving bowl.

Recipe Adapted from Chinatown by Martin Yan (William Morrow)
Copyright Yan Can Cook, Inc. (2006)