Tofu, Shiitake Mushroom, and Ground Pork in Clay Pot

I adapted this recipe from Bee Yinn Low's 'Braised Bean Curd with Mushrooms' recipe which I found on her website www.rasamalaysia.com. Very homestyle, flavorful, and easy to make. I opted to cook the ingredients in a large sauté pan/wok rather than cooking them directly in the clay pot, but did serve everything in a clay pot for final presentation. 

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground pork
12 small-medium shiitakes, soaked in warm water 30-40 min., stemmed and quartered
2 boxes firm tofu, cubed and dried well with paper towels
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, chopped
1 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. soy paste
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 cup shiitake mushroom soaking liquid
1 cup water
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. white pepper
Cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp. water + 1 tbsp. cornstarch)

1. Heat 1 cup of oil in a large sauté pan or wok over medium high heat. Add the tofu cubes and fry, turning occasionally, until lightly browned (do not overcrowd: fry in 2-3 batches, as needed). Remove to a paper towel-lined platter or baking sheet to drain. 

2. Pour out all but 2-3 tsp. of oil in the pan and add the minced garlic. Saute for 5-10 seconds or until fragrant. Add the ground pork and stir fry until just cooked through. 

3. Add the fried tofu, quartered shiitake mushrooms, soy paste, oyster sauce, mushroom soaking liquid, water, sugar, and white pepper. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

4. Bring the mixture up to a boil and add the cornstarch slurry. Stir constantly for 30 seconds to about a minute or until the sauce has thickened. Turn off heat and toss with half of the chopped scallions.  

5. Pour the tofu mixture into a clay pot. Garnish with the remaining chopped scallions. Serve as is or with steamed white rice. 

2 boxes of firm tofu.

Dried Shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm-hot water 30-40 minutes until softened. 

Tofu, cubed.

Chopped scallion, minced garlic and quartered Shiitake mushrooms. 

Blot the tofu as dry as you can with paper towels. 

Fry the tofu cubes in batches until lightly browned. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet to drain. 

Remove all but about 2-3 tsp. of oil in the pan then add the minced garlic. Saute briefly until fragrant. 

Add the ground pork and sauté until just cooked through. 

Add the fried tofu, mushrooms, soy paste, oyster sauce, mushroom soaking liquid, water, sugar, and white pepper. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Toss with half of the chopped scallions. 

White pepper, oyster sauce and soy paste. 

Cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp. water + 1 tbsp. cornstarch). 

Bring the mixture up to a boil and add the cornstarch slurry. Boil 30 seconds to a minute, or until the mixture has thickened. 

Pour the tofu into a clay pot or other serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining chopped scallion.