Wood Ear with Bean Curd Sticks 木耳烧腐竹

A pantry stir fry that tastes like much more than the sum of it. Bean curd sticks drink up whatever sauce they meet, wood ear stays snappy, and the shiitake soaking water does the work of a stock. Everything comes out of bags and jars, which makes this the recipe for the night the fridge is empty but you still want dinner to feel like dinner.

Serves 2 to 3.

Ingredients

• 1/2 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms (木耳, a small handful)
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 4 ounces dried bean curd sticks (腐竹, yuba)
• 1 carrot, sliced into rounds
• 3 slices of ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 spring onions, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, for color
• 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup of the shiitake soaking water
• A drizzle of toasted sesame oil

Steps

1. Soak the wood ear, shiitake and bean curd sticks separately in warm water until fully soft, 30 minutes to 1 hour (the bean curd sticks take the longest). Save the shiitake soaking water. Squeeze everything gently, cut the shiitake into thick slices, and snap the bean curd sticks into lengths.
2. Heat the oil over high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir for 10 seconds.
3. Add the shiitake and stir fry 1 minute, then the wood ear and carrot, 2 minutes more.
4. Add the bean curd sticks, both soy sauces, the vegan oyster sauce, the sugar and the shiitake water. Cover and braise on medium heat for 5 minutes, until the bean curd sticks have drunk the sauce.
5. Uncover, toss in the spring onions, finish with the sesame oil, and serve with rice.