Silken Tofu with Spicy Sausage

Ingredients

• 5 whole dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 box soft silken tofu
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• Kosher salt
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• Steamed white rice for serving

Directions

1. Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Cover the bowl and leave it alone for 5 minutes. Lift out the mushrooms, press out the extra moisture while saving every bit of the soaking liquid, then slice the mushrooms. Reserve both the sliced mushrooms and the liquid.
2. In a bowl, mix the sausage with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and the sugar. Leave it to the side while you get the tofu ready.
3. Set a steamer insert inside a large Dutch oven, then add 1 inch of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Turn the tofu out onto a shallow plate and tip away the extra water as carefully as you can. Set the plate in the steamer, put on the lid, and steam the tofu until it is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Take it out of the steamer, gently pour or spoon away any water that has collected, cover it loosely with foil, and set it aside.
4. In a small bowl, use a fork to stir together the saved mushroom soaking liquid, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, the remaining teaspoon soy sauce, the oyster sauce, and the cornstarch. Set that mixture aside. Warm a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, then add the sausage mixture and sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring and crumbling the sausage as it cooks, until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir the sauce mixture again, pour it into the skillet, and cook while stirring until it thickens, about 1 minute.
5. Remove the foil from the tofu and spoon the sauce over the top. Finish with the scallions and cilantro, and serve with white rice alongside.