Recipe - Mushrooms And Tofu In Hoisin Sauce

8 Dried Chinese black or
shiitake mushrooms; (8 to
12)
1 Block Chinesestyle firm
tofu (20 ounce) drained; or
2 boxes silken firm tofu,
(10 ounce)
2 tablespoon Peanut oil
2 teaspoon Chopped garlic
Three fourths pound Fresh white or shiitake
mushrooms; stems removed
from the shiitakes, caps
quartered
Salt to taste
3 tablespoon Ricewine vinegar
Mushroomsoaking water plus
vegetable stock to make 2
cups
2 teaspoon Dark; (toasted) sesame oil
1 tablespoon Soy sauce
3 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
One half cup Chopped tomato; fresh or
canned
2 teaspoon Cornstarch; dissolved in:
2 tablespoon Water
2 Scallions including the
greens; cut or sliced up diagonally
(optional garnish)

Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl with warm water to cover and let soak for
20 minutes or until soft. Reserving the soaking water, remove the stems
from the mushrooms and cut the caps into quarters.

Cut the drained tofu into 1/2inch cubes.

Heat a wok, add the oil and swirl it around the sides. When it's hot, add
the garlic. Stirfry for 30 seconds. Add the fresh and dried mushrooms and
One half teaspoon salt and stirfry for 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, the 2 cups
mushroom water plus stock, sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and tomato.
Stir everything together, then add the tofu. Lower the heat and simmer for
4 minutes. Add the dissolved cornstarch and cook until the sauce is
thickened, another minute or so.

Served garnished with the scallions, if desired. (4 to 6 servings).

Dark, glossy hoisin sauce jazzes up tofu and makes this vegetarian dish a
winner. Serve it over noodles with a simple steamed vegetable, and dinner's
a cinch. From "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison
(Broadway, 1997). By Candy Sagon.

Recipe by: The Washington Post 3/4/98

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by Nancy Berry nlberry@prodigy.net on May 15,
1998