Family Recipe 21 - Stir-fried Mushrooms with Tofu

Ingredients: Oyster mushrooms, firm tofu, scallions, garlic, salt, soy sauce, sesame oil Instructions: 1. Wash the oyster mushrooms. If they are too large, tear them in half by hand rather than cutting with a knife, as this helps them absorb flavor better. Chop the scallions and mince the garlic. 2. Heat oil in a pan. Cut the firm tofu into thick slices and pan-fry (or deep-fry) until golden brown on both sides. Set aside. 3. Using the remaining oil in the pan, sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Add the oyster mushrooms and stir-fry until softened. Then, add salt, soy sauce, and water, and simmer for a few minutes to let the mushrooms release their flavor. 4. Add the pan-fried (or deep-fried) tofu, cover the pan, and simmer to allow the tofu to soak up the sauce. 5. Turn up the heat to reduce the sauce. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped scallions and a drizzle of sesame oil. "Tofu gets tastier the longer it simmers." Tofu that hasn't been fried should not be covered while simmering, but fried tofu is fine. If you're worried about it being too oily from frying, you can simply cut the tofu into cubes and braise it directly, but in that case, do not cover it while simmering. You can substitute other types of mushrooms for the oyster mushrooms. Use whatever you prefer.