Use your hands to crumble the pressed tofu into a medium bowl and toss with a spoonful of cornstarch to coat. Heat a slick of oil in a large wok or skillet on high heat until shimmering, then add the tofu and cook until it’s browned and crispy, breaking up with a wooden spoon as you cook. It should resemble cooked ground meat by the time it’s done. Transfer tofu to a plate.

Add a little more oil to the same pan and sauté some sliced mushrooms (shiitakes add tons of meaty flavor, but use whatever you’ve got), scallions, and some minced garlic and ginger until mushrooms are browned. In a measuring cup, add a couple of glugs of soy sauce, a splash of fish sauce, a spoonful of brown sugar, sesame oil, sambal oelek or chile oil, and broth to make about a cup of liquid total (skip the fish sauce to keep this dish 100 percent vegetarian). Add sauce and tofu to the mushrooms and cook a minute or two longer, until sauce coats tofu.

Spoon tofu mixture over cooked rice or noodles and top with cucumber salad, more scallions, fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and mint, and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with more sambal oelek or chile oil.