Hakka stuffed tofu with mushroom filling

Step 1: Squeeze 6 dried shiitake mushrooms dry over the soaking bowl, cut off the stalks and chop the caps finely. Keep 200 ml of the soaking water, poured off carefully to leave the grit behind.

Step 2: With a teaspoon, scoop a hollow about 1.5 cm deep from the top of each 1 ⅓ lb firm tofu square. Mash the scooped-out tofu in a bowl.

Step 3: Add the shiitake, 6 water chestnuts, ½ carrot, 2 spring onions, half the ½ tbsp light soy sauce, ¼ tsp ground white pepper, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp of 1 tbsp cornflour to the mashed tofu. Mix until it holds together when pressed.

Step 4: Dust the hollows with the remaining 1 tbsp cornflour and press the filling in firmly, mounding it slightly. Common mistake: hollowing too deep, which makes the walls tear in the pan.

Step 5: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Lay the tofu in filling side down and fry for 4 minutes without moving, until the filling is crusty and golden. Turn and fry the base for 3 minutes.

Step 6: Mix the mushroom water with the remaining ½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 ½ tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (mushroom-based) and ½ tsp sugar and pour around the tofu. Cover and simmer gently for 8 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tofu is heated through.

Step 7: Lift the tofu onto a plate. Boil the sauce for a minute until glossy, stir in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and spoon over.