Fried Mock Oyster
The wrapped pieces in this tasty vegetarian dish resemble oysters 

Makes 10

Ingredients: 
1 bean curd sheet
1 large cake firm bean curd*
4 sheets seaweed (4 inches by 9 inches)** 
3 dried mushrooms

Batter: 
75 grams (1/3 cup) flour
15 grams (3 teaspoons) glutinous rice flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
110 ml (approximately 1/2 cup) water
1 1/2 tablespoons oil

Seasonings: 
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional) 
sesame seed oil - a few drops
pepper - a few shakes or to taste

Flour Mixture (Glue): 
2 teaspoons flour 
2 teaspoons water

Oil for deep-frying

Directions: 
Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for between 20 - 30 minutes.  Save the soaking liquid to use if desired.  Cut off the stems. Dice.  
Rinse and drain bean curd.  Steam the mushroom pieces and bean curd for 8 minutes.  
Take each sheet of seaweed and cut into shreds. Combine in a bowl with the steamed mushroom pieces. 
Please the steamed bean curd in a bowl and add the salt, sugar, cornstarch, MSG, sesame seed oil and pepper.  Mash and mix the ingredients with a fork.  
Wipe the bean curd sheet with a damp cloth.  Trim the edges and cut into 10 pieces. 
Mix together the flour and water mixture until it forms a type of glue.  
Mix together the batter ingredients.  Use soaking liquid from the mushrooms in place of water if desired.  Make sure the batter has no lumps.
To wrap: Lay out a bean curd square in front of you so that it forms a diamond.  Place about a teaspoon of the mashed bean curd in the middle.  Add a bit of the seaweed/mushroom mixture and top with another teaspoon of bean curd.  Fold the bottom over the filling so that it forms a triangle.  Fold over the top.  Brush generously with the flour/water mixture, and fold over the left and right sides, brushing with more of the glue and pressing down on the edges to seal.
Heat wok on high heat and add oil.  Coat about 4 or 5 of the wrapped bean curds in the batter and add to the wok, carefully sliding them in so the oil doesn't splatter.  Deep-fry until golden brown (about 5 minutes), turning a few times during the cooking process.  Drain.
Serve with Worcestershire sauce or seasoned salt.  

*For a thicker wrap, increase the number of bean curd cakes and vary the amount of seasoning  accordingly    
**This is the roasted seaweed that is often used to make sushi, the popular Japanese appetizer.
 
To freeze: Prepare ahead of time up to wrapping the bean curd and seaweed/mushroom mixture.  Freeze the wrapped pieces.  When ready to cook, thaw, prepare the batter and deep-fry.  

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