Soak the mushrooms: Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for at least 20 minutes. Reserve 200ml of the soaking water for the sauce.

Prep the ingredients:

• Cut the tofu into cubes.

• Finely mince the garlic and grate the ginger.

• Slice the mushrooms into small pieces.

• Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white and green parts.

Grind the peppercorns if using whole Sichuan peppercorns.

Blanch the tofu: In a pot of salted boiling water, blanch the tofu cubes for 3 minutes. Gently strain and set aside. This helps firm up the tofu and reduce breakage.

Sauté the aromatics: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until lightly golden. Add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the scallions. Sauté for another 1–2 minutes.

Build the sauce: Stir in doubanjiang, soy sauce, chili flakes, sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, and the reserved mushroom water. Mix well and bring to a gentle boil.

Add the tofu: Gently add in the tofu cubes, spooning sauce over to coat.

Thicken it up: Once the sauce comes to a boil, stir the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Slowly pour it into the pan while stirring gently. Simmer on low until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.

Garnish and serve: Top with the green parts of the scallions. Serve hot with a warm bowl of rice.