Deep-Fried Bean Curd With Pork and Vegetables

• 4 3-inch-by-3-inch-by-1-inch pieces bean curd (tofu)
• 2 cups oil for frying
• 1/2 pound lean raw pork
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sake or dry sherry
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
• 1/2 cup celery
• 18 pound Smithfield ham
• 10 medium-size dried Chinese black mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with a little water
• 18 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 18 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chicken stock or water

1. Cut each cake of bean curd into 4 cubes, and deep-fry the pieces in oil, heated to 375 degrees, about 5 minutes, or until golden.
2. (When adding bean curd to hot oil, do so gently, using the lid of the wok as a shield to protect yourself from any spattering oil.)
3. Remove the bean curd, drain, cool, and cut into 1/8-inch julienne strips.
4. Set aside.
5. Cut the pork into similar strips, and mix with the next 5 ingredients.
6. Cut the bamboo shoots, celery and ham into similar strips.
7. Soak mushrooms 15 minutes in warm water, discard the stems and cut into similar julienne strips.
8. Mince garlic.
9. Mix cornstarch solution with the next 3 ingredients.

bean curd, oil, lean, cornstarch, soy sauce, sake, sugar, peanut oil, bamboo shoots, celery, ham, mushrooms, clove garlic, cornstarch, sugar, oyster sauce, pepper, peanut oil, salt, chicken

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5848 (may not work)