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. Combine dried mushrooms and boiling water in a small bowl. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms, squeeze out excess liquid (reserving all liquid), and slice. Set aside mushrooms and liquid.
2. Combine sausage with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and sugar. Set aside.
3. Place a steamer insert into a large Dutch oven and fill with 1 inch of water. Bring to a simmer. Upend tofu onto a shallow plate and carefully drain off excess water. Place plate in steamer, cover, and allow tofu to steam until hot, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from steamer, carefully pour or spoon off excess water, tent with foil, and set aside.
4. Combine reserved mushroom liquid, remaining 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, remaining teaspoon soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix with a fork to combine. Set aside. Heat sausage and sliced mushrooms in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up sausage, until just starting to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Re-stir sauce mixture then pour into skillet and heat, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute.
5. Uncover tofu and pour sauce over it. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro and serve with white rice on the side.