My Po Tofu

By Mitchell Davis, Kitchen Sense: More than 600 Recipes to Make You a Great Home Cook

Makes 4 servings

4 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 to 3 ounces pancetta or bacon, minced, or 1/4 pound ground pork or turkey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cup chicken stock,vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 to 3 teaspoons garlic chili sauce, or other hot sauce
14 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 teaspoon sichuan pepper or freshly ground white pepper
2 or 3 tablespoons minced pickle, such as bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, pickled onions, or other savory pickle

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. (Alternately, you can cover them with cold water and put them in the microwave for 2 minutes or so.) Let them sit about 15 minutes. Remove the tough stem and cut into small dice. In another small bowl, place the bacon, pancetta, ground pork, or turkey. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, the garlic, and ginger. In yet another small bowl, combine the stock or water with the remaining 2 tablespons soy sauce and the sesame oil to make a sauce.

2. Set a wok or large sauté pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Add the pork mixture and sauté, breaking up the meat with a spatula or spoon. When the meat has crumbled and browned slightly, add the chili sauce and mix in. Add the mushrooms and the sauce (the stock, soy, and sesame oil mixture). Bring to a boil. Add the tofu, peas, sliced scallions, and pepper, and stir to incorporate, being careful not to break up the tofu. Bring to back to a boil. Stir in the pickle. In a small bowl, make a slurry by combining the remaining 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with a tablespoon or so of cold water. Add this to the pan. When the sauce comes back to the boil and thickens, the tofu is ready to serve.