- 18 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 small leek (white and pale green parts only), cut into matchstick-size strips
- 2 tablespoons Asian fermented black beans, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon finely crushed Szechuan peppercorns (wild pepper), or coarsely cracked black pepper
- 2 14-ounce containers soft tofu, drained, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Fresh cilantro sprigs (for garnish)
- Place mushrooms in large bowl. Pour 3 cups boiling water over; let soak until mushrooms soften, at least 25 minutes and up to 4 hours. Drain. Cut off stems and discard; finely chop caps.
- Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons vegetable broth in 2-cup measuring cup. Stir in remaining broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Heat oil in heavy large wok or nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add mushrooms; stir-fry until browned, about 3 minutes. Add leek; stir-fry until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add black beans, ginger, garlic, chili-garlic sauce, and peppercorns; stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir cornstarch mixture to blend, then stir into vegetable mixture. Add tofu; toss gently to coat with sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.
- Spoon tofu mixture into serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
- Available at Asian markets and specialty foods stores and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.