Tofu

1. Press the tofu for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
2. Brown the tofu. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons of neutral oil. Once hot, crumble the tofu into the pan with your hands. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden, mixing frequently. Remove from the pan.
3. Sauté the aromatics. Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan, then sauté the onions and whites of the scallions until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add in the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 4 minutes more.
4. Add the tofu back in. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for a few more minutes.
5. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the hoisin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and black pepper. Stir well.
6. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the water chestnuts, half of the scallion greens, and the sauce. Stir to coat then remove from heat. Adjust salt and pepper to taste then set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Crispy Rice Noodles

1. Heat the oil. Add about 1 inch of oil in a small pot over medium heat and line a plate with paper towels. Heat the oil for about 3-4 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when you add a single vermicelli noodle. and it puffs up almost instantaneously.
2. Fry the noodles. Add vermicelli noodles a small bit at a time, about 2 tablespoons. Flip if needed for even puffing. Once puffed up, transfer the noodles to the paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining vermicelli noodles as needed.

Assembly

1. Assemble the lettuce wraps. Add a scoop or two of the tofu mixture into a cup of lettuce, along with your toppings of choice. Serve immediately and enjoy!