From Woks of Life Cookbook

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⅔ cup dried wood ear mushrooms

1 pound firm tofu, drained

½ cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

3 tablespoons neutral oil

2 (⅛-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger

1 star anise

2 scallions, white and green parts separated and cut on a diagonal into 2-inch lengths

2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

½ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

½ green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 long hot green peppers or Anaheim peppers

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

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1. In a medium bowl, cover the wood ear mushrooms with water and soak for 2 hours or until rehydrated. Rinse them to remove any grit or dirt. Drain and cut the wood ears in half into bite-size pieces.

2. Cut the block of tofu crosswise into ½-inch-thick rectangles. Cut each rectangle on a diagonal into 2 triangles.

3. In a small bowl, combine the water, cornstarch, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and salt.

4. Heat a wok over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. (Preheating the wok before adding oil creates a nonstick surface.) Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl it around the wok to coat the surface. Carefully add the tofu pieces in a single layer and pan-fry for 4 minutes on the first side, until golden brown. Use a thin spatula to carefully flip the tofu pieces and fry on the other side for another 4 minutes, until golden. Transfer the tofu to a plate.

5. Over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon oil, along with the ginger and star anise. Cook for 20 seconds, until fragrant. Add the white parts of the scallions and cook for another 20 to 30 seconds.

6. Add the wood ears, garlic, peppers, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir-fry for 1 minute, until the peppers are tender but still have a fresh crunch. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok.

7. Re-stir the sauce to make sure the cornstarch is well incorporated into the liquid. Add the sauce to the wok and bring it to a simmer. Let the sauce thicken until it coats the back of a spoon. (If it's too thick, add a splash of water.) Stir in the tofu and add the green parts of the scallions. Mix until the tofu and vegetables are evenly coated in sauce and the scallions are wilted. Serve.