Chinese Braised Mushrooms and Tofu

Ever since I became pregnant, I've been trying to balance my cravings (mainly pizza and pasta) with healthy and budget-friendly dinners in between. I don't necessarily seek out vegetarian or vegan recipes, but I'm also not opposed to them, as many meatless recipes save a lot of money at the grocery store. Yes, Will and I are still getting used to Boston prices...wowza. Quite a change from the two months I recently spent in Wisconsin! I found this particular dish on www.eatingwell.com, and since I adore portobello mushrooms, I decided to give it a try. Will wasn't terribly enthusiastic about it; however, once he decided it smelled nice and spicy he gave it a try. It was a winner-he went back for second and requested the leftovers the next day for lunch!
Source: Eating Well

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 4 portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce, (see Note)
• 1 1/4 cups mushroom broth, or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry, (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 14-ounce package firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and chile-garlic sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Add broth, sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar, tofu and water chestnuts and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a simmer, for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
3. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the saucepan and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.