Stewed eggplant with tofu and shiitake mushrooms in a clay pot

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (about 10 small mushrooms)
• 2 tbsp. neutral vegetable oil
• 700 g of eggplants
• 1 finely chopped shallot
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, optional
• 1 tbsp. l. chu-hou paste (see note)
• 3 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce (see note)
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable umami seasoning, such as Yondu (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 220 g of medium-firm tofu, cut into 2 cm cubes.
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
• Boiled rice for serving
• Special equipment: a heat-resistant clay pot with a capacity of approximately 2 liters.

Preparation:

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a wok over high heat. Pour the boiling water into a medium bowl and add the dried shiitake mushrooms. Cover the bowl with a plate and let sit for about 30 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. Drain the water, reserving 2 cups of water in another bowl. Trim the tough stems from the mushrooms and slice the caps into 1-cm-thick slices, or cut them in half if the mushrooms are small. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, thoroughly dry the wok. Add oil and place the wok over medium heat. Heat the oil to 175°C. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
3. While the oil is heating, trim the ends of the eggplants and cut them into 5 cm long pieces. Cut each piece into 1 cm thick strips or wedges.
4. Fry the eggplants in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Carefully drain most of the oil from the wok, reserving only 2 tablespoons. Heat over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke, about 2 minutes. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok. Add the chu hou paste and cook, stirring, until coated. Add the eggplant, oyster sauce, soy sauce, umami seasoning, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and white pepper. Stir until the sauce coats the eggplant. Add the mushroom soaking liquid and tofu and bring to a simmer.
6. Combine cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the mixture into the simmering liquid, stirring until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu (you may not need all of the cornstarch mixture). Transfer the contents of the wok to a 2-quart (2-liter) clay pot (see Note), being careful not to break up the tofu. Cover the pot and set it over medium heat. Simmer until the eggplant is tender and the tofu is heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently stir in the sesame oil. Serve the eggplant with rice.
7. Note
   
   The oven-safe clay pot we used for this dish was 20 cm in diameter and 8 cm deep. Season your clay pot according to the manufacturer's instructions. Gently wash the pot with warm, soapy water. Rinse it, and then let it dry uncovered overnight.
8. The sauce is especially rich thanks to chu hou, a fermented soybean paste known to add depth to all stews. We also added vegetable umami seasoning, a great vegan substitute for fish sauce. However, you can use regular fish sauce (or regular oyster sauce) instead.