The Mushroom and Tofu Clay Pot My Dad's Made 100,000 Times

Step 1: Prep mushrooms

Clean and rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms (1 oz). Place the mushrooms in a large bowl with some water and swirl them around with your fingers to rinse off dirt and debris. Pour out the water and repeat the washing one more time.

Move the shiitakes to a smaller bowl. Soak them in warm water (50° to 60°F) for 15 minutes. Remove from the water, reserving the soaking liquid for later use.

(Chef's Tip: To fully submerge the mushrooms, place a small plate on top to hold them in place."

Cut off the stems and slice each mushroom diagonally into 3 smaller pieces.

Prepare the seafood mushrooms (3 oz). Trim and discard the roots. Cut the mushrooms in half. Place in a large bowl and soak in water for 2 to 3 minutes, then rinse and drain.

Prepare beech mushrooms (3 oz). Trim and discard the roots. Place in a large bowl and soak in the water for 2 to 3 minutes, then rinse and drain.

Prepare the king oyster mushroom (2 oz). Cut in half lengthwise and trim off the bottom of the stem. Lay each half down and cut into 1/4-inch slices at a slight angle. This will help make the pieces appear bigger.

Step 2: Prep aromatics and tofu

Peel and cut the carrot (2 oz). Slice in half lengthwise, then lay each half down and cut into 1/4-inch slices at a slight angle.

Peel and cut the ginger (1 oz) into thin slices.

Peel the garlic (3 cloves), trim off the hard ends, then cut into thin slices.

Cut the green onions (0.50 oz) in half lengthwise, line them up and cut into small pieces.

Cut the block of tofu (16 oz) into thin slices. You should have 16 to 18 pieces. Pat them dry with a sheet of paper towel. This helps remove some moisture so there's less splatter during the pan-frying step.

Step 3: Pan fry tofu

Heat a wok (or stainless steel pan) on high until hot and the sides begin to smoke, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the oil (2 tablespoon), spreading it up the sides of wok with spatula. Lower the heat to medium.

Place the tofu slices into the wok, making sure that they're not touching too closely. Pan fry for 2 to 3 minutes on one side until golden brown. If the oil pools in the center, use the spatula to pour it over the sides.

Flip the tofu slices and pan fry for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.

Turn off the heat and move the tofu to a plate.

Step 4: Stir fry aromatics and mushrooms

Turn the heat to high. Using the remaining oil in the wok, stir fry the ginger and garlic for 40 to 50 seconds until aromatic. Lower the heat.

Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir fry for 20-30 seconds. Add the carrots and stir fry for 20 to 30 seconds. Add the remaining mushrooms and stir fry for 30 to 40 seconds on high heat.

Add the cooking wine (1 tablespoon) and stir fry for 30 to 40 seconds. Turn off the heat.

Step 5: Cook in the clay pot

Transfer the stir-fry ingredients from the wok to a clay pot.

Heat the clay pot on medium to low heat. Add the mushroom soaking liquid and the water (0.30 cup).

Cover and bring to boil, about 2 minutes.

Add the salt (1 teaspoon), sugar (1 teaspoon), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), light soy sauce (1 tablespoon), and dark soy sauce (0.50 teaspoon) and use a spoon to stir it in.

Add the tofu slices on top and gently press them into the mushroom and sauce mixture. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

In a small bowl, make a slurry with the cornstarch (2 teaspoon) and water (1 tablespoon).

Remove the lid from the clay pot and lower the heat. Use a spoon to make space in the middle of the pot and pour in the slurry while mixing with spoon. Continue mixing and cooking for another 3 minutes, then turn the heat off.

Mix in the sesame oil (1 teaspoon) and scatter the green onions on top.

Serve clay pot covered on plate with wet paper towel.