"RICE TOPPINGS: MUSHROOMS AND TOFU"

I recently started posting recipes of 'Rice Toppings', and for this one here, I am using fresh mushrooms and tofu. For me, the flavor and texture of the mushrooms are enough to complete the dish - no need for any meat. But I know my husband would want me to thrown in at least a few pieces of sliced pork or chicken...and so I did.

The mushroom I used here is the Bunapi-shimeji, also known as the White Beech or White Clamshell Mushroom. These mushrooms with long stems and tiny caps are eaten cooked (the raw Beech mushrooms are bitter in taste, but transforms once exposed to heat), and are best for soups or stews or when cooked slowly in butter and garlic. I find the texture of the cooked Beech mushrooms very similar to the texture of cooked squid (yeah, whenever I serve this, people think they are pieces of squid!)...sort of chewy.

It had a sort of earthy/nutty flavor that works really well with seafood mixes and also with vegetable dishes. For those of us living in California: Beech mushrooms are sold at the 99 Ranch store, and also in fresh farmers grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes. I am still trying to find a fine mushroom vendor at the local farmers market I go to (we buy our organic vegetables from the local farmers markets like the one in Cerritos and Long Beach)...I want to get a regular local supplier, as it is really expensive to buy mushrooms from the supermarket.

- CHICHAY

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"RICE TOPPINGS:Mushrooms and Tofu"

What You Need:

• 1 lb fresh mushrooms of your choice (yield: 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sliced)
• 1 large block of extra firm tofu (or 2-3 pcs of "tokwa"), cut into small cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 2 cups of chopped vegetables of your choice (like bokchoy, pechay, lettuce, cabbage...)
• 1/2 cup of sliced meat of your choice (optional)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp corn starch dissolved in 1 tsp water
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• hot sauce or chilli-garlic sauce (optional)
• salt
• ground black pepper

How To:

-Heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
-Saute the tofu pieces until browned a bit on all sides. Transfer to another container and set aside for later.
-Season the sliced meat (if using) with salt and pepper, and saute on the same pan until slightly browned.
[CHICHAY TIP: Remember to saute beef quickly, and remove from heat as soon as slightly cooked, to avoid overcooking. The chicken and pork on the other hand has to be cooked longer. Make sure pork and chicken are browned well.] Once cooked, transfer the meat to another bowl and set aside.
-Add the butter and garlic to the pan, and sautee until the garlic is slightly browned (not burnt).
-Add the mushrooms, season with some salt and cook, stirring constantly for about 3-5 minutes of until softened.
-Stir in the cooked tofu, celery, and cook for a minute or two.
-If using chicken or pork, add it back to the pan at this point (if using beef, add it last).
-Add the cornstarch, water, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce or chilli-garlic sauce (if using) and stir well.
-Add in the chopped vegetables, bring this to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and and let simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning by adding soy sauce and pepper if necessary.
-If using beef, add it back to the pan at this point and turn off the heat. Stir for the last time, cover and let this sit for about 2 minutes.
-Serve this on top of cooked rice.