Name: Vegan Mapo Tofu
Ingredients: 1 cup hot water; 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning (such as Po Lo Ku); 6 to 8 dried red chiles, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons); .5 cup neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed), divided; 2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns, finely ground, plus more for garnish; 3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion; 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger; 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic; 1.5 cups finely chopped (about 1/4-inch pieces) Japanese eggplant; 5 ounces finely chopped button mushrooms (about 1 3/4 cups); 3 tablespoons broad bean paste with red chile oil (such as Sichuan Pixian); 1 pound firm tofu, drained, patted dry, and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces; .75 cup thinly sliced scallions, divided; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; .25 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Ingredients

1 cup hot water
1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning (such as Po Lo Ku)
6 to 8 dried red chiles, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
.5 cup neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed), divided
2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns, finely ground, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1.5 cups finely chopped (about 1/4-inch pieces) Japanese eggplant
5 ounces finely chopped button mushrooms (about 1 3/4 cups)
3 tablespoons broad bean paste with red chile oil (such as Sichuan Pixian)
1 pound firm tofu, drained, patted dry, and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces
.75 cup thinly sliced scallions, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
.25 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Steps

In a small bowl, stir mushroom seasoning into 1 cup hot water until well dissolved, then set aside.
In a 14-inch wok over medium-low heat, toast the chiles, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup neutral oil and cook, stirring often, until the chiles become rust-coloured, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not burn them. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1/4 cup neutral oil in the wok over medium heat. Cook ground Szechuan peppercorns, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add eggplant and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until very tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in broad bean paste until thoroughly combined, followed by the reserved mushroom-seasoning mixture. Cook with occasional stirring until reduced to a thick paste, 5 to 8 minutes.
Stir in tofu and the chile-oil mixture, then cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup scallions, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, stirring them in. Cook, stirring often, until the scallions wilt, about 2 minutes. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup scallions and garnish with ground Szechuan peppercorns.