Steamed Button Mushrooms With Tofu and Garlic Sesame Rice
I tried another ChatGPT recipe the other day.
I was looking for something quick and Chinese-style after seeing button mushrooms on offer. This one seemed easy and light, with barely any effort needed.
So naturally, I still managed to mess it up the first time.
I didn’t realise you actually had to cook the cornstarch. ChatGPT didn’t mention it, and I’m one of those people who just follows what the recipe says without guessing. I was a bit annoyed, because I had basically made it right — it just didn’t taste how it should have.
The cornstarch made it feel a bit off and powdery, which wasn’t exactly the comforting Chinese-style dish I had in mind.
So I went out, grabbed more button mushrooms, and gave it another go a couple of days later. Luckily, I still had the other ingredients at home.
This time, I cooked the cornstarch properly.
And yes, it tasted much better.
The tofu and mushrooms came out soft and tender, the sauce worked properly, and with the garlic sesame rice, it ended up being a really simple and comforting meal.
Steamed Button Mushrooms with Tofu and Garlic Sesame Rice
Ingredients
For the steamed mushrooms and tofu
200g button mushrooms, halved if medium
100–150g firm tofu, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp dark soy sauce, optional
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp sesame oil
½ tsp rice vinegar, optional
1 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch
Chilli flakes, optional
Spring onion, to finish
For the garlic sesame rice
1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups water
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp salt
Toasted sesame seeds, optional
Method
1. Start the rice
Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs mostly clear.
Add the rice to a pan with 2 cups of water, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ tsp sesame oil, and ¼ tsp salt.
Cook until the rice is soft and fluffy, then leave it covered while you finish the tofu and mushrooms.
2. Make the sauce properly this time
In a small pan, mix together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, water, and cornstarch.
Heat it gently and stir until the cornstarch cooks through and the sauce thickens slightly.
Do not skip this bit, unless you fancy learning the powdery way like I did.
3. Steam the mushrooms and tofu
Place the button mushrooms and tofu in a steamer-safe dish.
Pour the sauce over them, then steam until the mushrooms are soft and the tofu has warmed through.
4. Finish and serve
Serve the steamed mushrooms and tofu with the garlic sesame rice.
Top with spring onion, toasted sesame seeds, and a few chilli flakes if you want a little heat.
Final thoughts
This ended up being a nice, simple meal once I stopped accidentally ruining it with uncooked cornstarch.
It’s light, comforting, and has that Chinese-style flavour without needing loads of effort.
The mushrooms and tofu work well together, and the garlic sesame rice makes it feel more like a proper dinner rather than just “some things in a bowl”, which is always a bonus.