Tofu with mushrooms

serves 4
ingredients
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon grated fresh root ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon five-spice powder
225g/8oz firm tofu, cut into
2.5cm/1in cubes
6 dried Chinese mushrooms
1 teaspoon cornflour
2 tablespoons groundnut oil
6 spring onions, sliced into
2.5cm/1in lengths, white and
green parts separated
• In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, garlic,
ginger and five-spice powder.
• Put the tofu in a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over, toss well and
leave to marinate for about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the marinade.
• Meanwhile, soak the dried Chinese mushrooms in warm water for
20–30 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving 75ml/3fl oz of the soaking
liquid. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the mushrooms, remove the
stalks and slice the caps. In a bowl, blend the cornflour with the reserved
marinade and mushroom soaking liquid.
• Heat the oil in a wok or large heavy frying pan until hot. Add the tofu
and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until evenly golden. Remove from the wok
using a slotted spoon, and set aside.
• Add the mushrooms and white parts of the spring onions to the wok, and
stir-fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the marinade mixture and stir for 1 minute
until thickened.
• Return the tofu to the wok with the green parts of the spring onions.
Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes. Serve immediately with rice noodles.