Korean Tofu Pickles (Dubujangajji: 두부장아찌)

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dubujangajji

Ingredients:
2 pkg of tofu
¾ cup soy sauce
3 dried shiitake mushrooms
⅓ cup vinegar
1½ cup water
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 apple, pit removed and sliced (or 2 tbs of sugar)
1 onion, sliced
cooking oil (vegetable oil, canola oil, etc)
Directions:

Remove the tofu from the package. Drain and rinse.
Cube the tofu into bite sized pieces.
Pan fry the tofu pieces with a little cooking oil until all the sides are golden brown.
Prepare the brine by putting the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, apple, dried shiitake mushrooms, and water into a thick bottomed pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat and boil for another 30 minutes. Strain with a strainer.
Put the fried tofu and the sliced onion into a container. Pour the strained brine over top, and add the cooked shiitake mushrooms.
To serve, put some of the tofu, brine, and onions into a serving bowl, along with some of the shittake mushroom, chopped. Serve as a side dish with rice or noodles. To eat, mix in some of the brine with your rice. Eat your rice and take a piece of tofu, mushroom or slice of onion from time to time, too.