Vegetarian Mushroom and Bean Curd Stir Fry

Ingredients

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  • Wood ear mushrooms, handful

  • Dry bean curd, 4 sticks

  • Firm vegetables, such as napa cabbage or carrots (optional)

  • Garlic, 5 cloves

  • Ginger, thumb-sized piece

  • Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp. This adds savoriness and sweetness.

  • Soy sauce, 1 tsp. This adds saltiness.

  • Corn starch, 1 tbsp. This is the sauce thickening agent.

As usual, the measurements are approximations. Feel free to tweak the flavoring as you see fit.

Instructions

  1. Separately soak the wood ear mushrooms and dry bean curd in warm water for about an hour. These come packaged dry and need to be reconstituted by soaking.

  2. Cut the bean curd into long, approximately bite-sized pieces (1-2 inches in length). Also cut up any firm vegetables you might want to include.

  3. Mince the garlic and ginger and set aside.

  4. Prepare a one-to-one ratio of corn starch slurry by mixing the corn starch with an equal volume of water. Set this aside.

  5. Heat up a wok, then once it’s smoking slightly, turn down the heat and add cooking oil.

  6. Toss in the ginger and garlic, and cook lightly for about 30 seconds.

  7. Toss in the firm vegetables.

  8. Toss in the wood ear mushrooms and dry bean curd.

  9. Add the oyster sauce and soy sauce, then stir.

  10. Once the sauce is evenly mixed, pour in the corn starch slurry. Mix thoroughly.

  11. When the sauce has thickened a bit due to the corn starch, remove and serve. This pairs nicely with some white rice.