Chinese New Yearıs Special

This dish is a New Yearıs tradition, especially since it can be made
a day before and reheated or served at room temperature.  It
usually contains 10 ingredients, which vary from cook to cook;
feel free to substitute according to taste and availability of
items.

Servings:  4

1 12-inch stick of dried tofu, soaked five hours
12 dried black mushrooms, soaked 1 hour in 2/3 cup cold water
2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsalted cashews, toasted
1/3 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup sliced fresh water chestnuts
3/4 cup sliced fresh white mushrooms
1/2 cup canned whole hominy, drained
1/2 cup sliced, canned bamboo shoots
1 small carrot, julienned
1 stalk celery, julienned
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2/3 cup soaking liquid from black mushrooms
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste (optional)
1/2 tsp sesame seed oil (optional)

Press water out of bean curd stick and cut into 1-inch lengths. 
Discard soaking water.  Squeeze water out of mushrooms and slice
into narrow strips.  Reserve mushroom soaking water.  Heat a wok
over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons oil (or 2
tablespoons oil in an electric wok at 320°F).  When oil is hot, add
bean curd, cashews, peas, water chestnuts, black mushrooms,
white mushrooms, hominy, bamboo shoots, carrot and celery;
stir-fry 2 minutes (reduce heat if vegetables start to burn).  Stir
in soy sauce.  Add reserved mushroom liquid and cook for 3
minutes, stirring frequently.  Add salt if desired.  Turn up heat and
stir-fry until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 1/2 minutes. 
Remove from heat and top with sesame seed oil if desired.

Preparation and cooking time:  ? min.

Per serving:  330 cal, 10 g prot, 562 mg sod, 37 g carb, 17 g fat, 0
mg chol, ? mg calcium

Hint:  Fresh water chestnuts are frequently available through the
first few months of the year; do not substitute canned water
chestnuts.  If you cannot find fresh, you can substitute jicama for a
similar texture.