1. While the tofu is pressing, put 2 or 3 mushrooms aside, and put the rest in a bowl and pour the 2 cups of hot water in the bowl. Let them soak for 10 minutes or until soft.
2. Take the pressed tofu and cut it into cubes. Once it is cubed, fry it. You can do this as you choose, personally I dump it in the deep fryer because the texture turns out great.
3. Once the mushrooms have softened, take the mushrooms and half them. Reserve the soaking liquid. Take the 2 or 3 reserved dried mushrooms put them in a coffee grinder (I used my magic bullet) until they are powdered. Take a pot and pour in the vegetable oil and heat on medium high. Put in the garlic and green onions and cook until softened.
4. Into the pot, add the vegetable broth, reserved mushroom liquid, fried tofu, mushrooms, mushroom powder, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, Bragg's, and rice vinegar.
5. Bring it up to a boil and turn it down to a simmer and let simmer for 30 minutes to reduce. Combine the cold water and cornstarch and pour it in the pot to thicken the sauce. Serve over rice or eat it by itself.
Source of recipe: There used to be a great Chinese place that had tofu and black mushrooms and it closed down. I found this recipe: http://www.justdutchovenrecipes.com/dut-10561.html [1] and modified it.