Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drain the tofu and press it under a plate with some heavy on top, we’ll use a can from the pantry. Wait about half an hour for liquid to drain out.
- Once pressed, break the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Place tofu cubes in a medium sized bowl. Add 1 Tbsp of the neutral-flavoured oil, plus 2 tsp sesame oil, the 1 Tbsp tamari, and a pinch or two of salt. Toss to combine. Then add the potato starch, panko, and sesame seeds. Gently toss to evenly coat the tofu pieces. Spread the tofu out in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.
- On to the mushrooms. Clean off the mushrooms with a damp towel and cut off the ends. Then, slice off the tough woody ends. Cut into ¼” slices. Add the mushrooms to the same bowl used for the tofu; toss with the remaining 1 Tbsp neutral-flavoured oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the other lined baking sheet.
- Bake the tofu and mushrooms in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven. Give the the tofu tray a shake, and flip mushrooms over. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, until tofu is crispy and browned and the mushrooms are golden brown. The mushrooms will shrink up considerably.
- While the tofu and mushrooms are baking, cook the rice noodles according to the package, and prepare the sauce.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the peanut butter and warm it up so that it becomes a bit runny, 15-30 seconds. Then add the remaining ingredients except for the water and whisk well to combine. Then, stream in the water and whisk to thin out the sauce until pourable but still thick.
- On a serving platter, arrange the washed and dried lettuce leaves. Place some of the cooked rice noodles on top, followed by the baked tofu and mushrooms. Spoon the sauce on top.
- Garnish with black sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.
