Make the Soy Curls: Preheat the oven to 400F (205 C). If using store-bought, simply reconstitute them in hot water for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, wring them very dry and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking tray. Optionally, toss them in ~1 tablespoon of oil. Bake for 15 minutes. For homemade soy curls, start by combining okara (soybean pulp), vital wheat gluten, and water in a large bowl. Mix well; you should get a loosely-packed lump of dough that will stick together when you squeeze tightly. Add all-purpose flour and knead for 5-7 minutes to develop gluten. Portion the dough by pinching chunks out and shaping into desired shapes — in this case, nuggets that are 3-4 cm in length. Spread them out on a parchment-lined baking tray and optionally, toss them in ~1 tablespoon of oil. Bake for 15 minutes, or until their surfaces are adequately dry and firm (but not crispy).

Make the Marinade / Sauce: In a bowl, combine light soy sauce, black vinegar, shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, mushroom bouillon, sugar, fine salt, corn starch, and water. Mix until no lumps remain, and add the soy curls. Let the soy curls marinate for 15 minutes. Once time is up, take out the soy curls and wring them dry of excess marinade.

To Stir-fry: In a wok/pan, heat up ~2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Note: Don't skimp on the oil here; you'll need a good amount since the soy curls have basically no fat. Add dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns and fry until fragrant, about 5 seconds. Note: Dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns love to burn here, so be very careful. I usually let the chiles and peppercorns soak for a little bit in cool/warm water to prevent scorching. Add the soy curls and stir-fry to get some good browning, about 1-2 minutes. Follow with garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Finish with scallion segments, peanuts, and the marinade / sauce. Stir-fry for about 1 minute more to thicken the sauce & infuse all of its flavors. Serve immediately. This goes really well with some freshly-steamed white rice.