Sauteed Zucchini And Mushrooms In Spicy Sauce

3 Slender, firm zucchini 1/2 c Chicken stock
1/2 lb Fresh button mushrooms 1 ts Thin soy sauce
1 tb Sichuan vegetable, 1 tb Sherry
-washed and minced 1 tb Brown bean sauce
2 Cloves garlic, minced 1/4 ts Sugar
8 sm Dried chilies 1 ts Yellow rice vinegar
4 tb Peanut oil Cornstarch paste to thicken
4 servings
Preparation: Trim zucchini and mushrooms. Slice zucchini in half
lengthwise, then roll-cut or simply slice on bias in thick 2" long
sections. Zucchini should be bite-size but not chunky. Cut mushrooms in
half through the stem. Wash, then finely mince Sichuan vegetable (this is
the secret ingredient!). Rinse chilies; leave whole. Combine stock, soy
sauce, sherry, bean sauce, sugar, and vinegar in bowl; reserve.
Stir-frying: Heat oil in very hot wok. Just before oil smokes, add
zucchini, mushrooms, Sichuan vegetable, garlic, and chilies; stir-fry for
about 1 minute, tossing continuously so vegetables do not scorch. Add
liquid ingredients; bring to boil; dribble in cornstarch paste to make a
light sauce (it should not have a gravy look); then combine sauce well with
vegetables. Serve when zucchini is still slightly undercooked. Serves 4