Buddha's Delight (Jai, Chinese Vegetarian Stew)

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1. 1Step 1: Place the dried lily flowers, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms each in a separate medium bowl. Pour boiling water over each to cover by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Press the ingredients down to submerge them. Let them rehydrate for 20 minutes, until soft throughout.
2. 2Step 2: Once the lily flowers are soft, remove any tough ends if needed. If they are very long, cut them in half lengthwise. Drain and set aside. Measure out 3/4 cup of the soaking water for later use.
3. 3Step 3: Gently squeeze the water from the shiitake mushrooms, then slice them in half. Measure out 1/4 cup of the soaking water and add it to the bowl with the lily flower soaking water.
4. 4Step 4: Once the wood ear mushrooms are rehydrated, cut them into small bite-sized pieces.
5. 5Step 5: Place the vermicelli noodles in a medium bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes (or according to package instructions), until the noodles are al dente. Drain and set aside.
6. 6Step 6: In a medium bowl, combine the sauce ingredients (light soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, soaking water, and sesame oil). Stir to mix well and set aside.
7. 7Step 7: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Set aside.
8. 8Step 8: Heat the oil in a large skillet (at least 13 inches) or a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the ginger and green onion. Stir a few times until fragrant.
9. 9Step 9: Add the carrot, lily flowers, and dried shiitake mushrooms. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
10. 10Step 10: Add the bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
11. 11Step 11: Add the fried tofu and pour in the sauce. Add the napa cabbage and bok choy. Cover and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Uncover and stir in between to mix the vegetables with the sauce.
12. 12Step 12: Add the bean thread noodles and let them soak in the liquid. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir the cornstarch slurry again to dissolve completely and pour it into the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens. Transfer everything to a large platter. Serve hot as a main dish.