Stir-fried Vegetarian Delight (Dong Gu Zhi Chao Zhai Cai)

Heat approximately 200ml of cooking oil in a wok over medium heat. Once hot, fry the dried bean curd sheets until they are crispy and golden brown. Remove them from the wok and break them into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Trim the stems off the fresh shiitake mushrooms. Using the remaining oil in the wok, fry the shiitake mushrooms until they are slightly soft and fragrant. Remove them from the wok and set aside.

Rehydrate the dried black fungus in warm water until soft. Once rehydrated, blanch the black fungus in boiling water until cooked. Remove and set aside.

Cut 1/4 head of napa cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Rinse thoroughly. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt, then blanch the napa cabbage for about 1 minute. Remove and drain well.

Remove the strings from the sweet peas. Blanch the sweet peas in boiling water for a short period, just until they are slightly cooked but still vibrant green. Remove and set aside.

Slice the ginger into thin pieces.

Discard most of the oil from the wok, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Heat the oil over medium-high heat, then add the sliced ginger and sauté until fragrant and slightly browned.

Add 1.5 cups (360ml) of water to the wok. Once the water boils, add the fried shiitake mushrooms. Cover the wok and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes to extract their flavor.

Uncover the wok and continue to simmer on high heat for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to further concentrate the mushroom flavor.

Season the sauce with 0.5 teaspoon of salt, 0.25 teaspoon of MSG, 0.5 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce. Stir well to combine and taste, adjusting seasoning if necessary.

Add the blanched napa cabbage and black fungus to the wok. Stir-fry briefly to coat them with the sauce. Cover the wok and simmer for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Uncover the wok. Add the fried bean curd sheets and glass noodles. Stir-fry until the glass noodles are cooked through and have absorbed the sauce.

In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Turn the heat to low, then slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the wok while stirring continuously to thicken the sauce to your desired consistency. Do not add too much, just enough to lightly coat the ingredients.

Finally, add the blanched sweet peas. Stir-fry for just a few seconds to incorporate them without overcooking. Serve hot and enjoy your flavorful vegetarian stir-fry!