A traditional Sichuan dish, mapo tofu is made with simmered medium-firm silken tofu flavored with fermented bean paste, beef, plenty of red-hot roasted chili oil, and a handful of Sichuan peppercorns.
Authentic mapo tofu is powerfully spicy with both conventional “heat” spiciness and the characteristic málà (numbing spiciness) flavor of Sichuan cuisine.Mapo Tofu is a classic Chinese dish full of protein, but this one is healthier as there’s less of the chillies and oil. It’s very easy to make and great for meal prep too.
Tofu is soybean curd. Therefore, dishes such as authentic mapo tofu are an excellent source of protein, calcium, and iron. Bean curd has been known to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and it may help lower the chance of developing cancer.
Ingredients
For Marinating (120 g) ground pork (or chicken, or turkey)
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
For braising
1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns , increase to 3 teaspoons if you like your dish extra numbing, or reduce to 1 teaspoon if your Sichuan peppercorns are extra fresh
1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
3 tablespoons Doubanjiang , reduce to 2 tablespoons for a less saltier and less spicy taste
2 green onion , chopped
1 block (400-g ) firm or medium firm tofu , cut into 1.5cm (1/2 inch) squares
1 cup chicken stock (or water)
2 teaspoons homemade chili oil
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
Instructions
Combine ground meat, cooking wine, soy sauce, and ginger in a small bowl. Mix well.
Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl.
Mix well and set aside. Heat the oil and Sichuan peppercorns in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
When the Sichuan peppercorns turn dark brown and crispy, scoop them out with a spatula and transfer into a bowl layered with paper towels to soak extra oil.
Save to use for garnishing the dish (Optional). Add the ground meat and Doubanjiang.
Cook over medium heat and chop the ground meat into small bits with a spatula, until pork is evenly coated with Doubanjiang and fully cooked through.
Add green onion and stir fry for another minute. Spread tofu evenly on top of ground pork.
Add chili oil, five-spice powder, and sugar. Pour in the broth and cook until brought to a simmer.
Simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to half the original amount.
Taste the tofu with some broth (be careful, it will be very hot!).
Adjust seasoning by adding salt if needed. If the dish is too spicy, add another teaspoon of sugar to balance it out. Gently mix well with spatula. (Optional)
Meanwhile, grind the fried Sichuan peppercorns (you used when heating up the oil) in a coffee grinder or using mortar and pestle.
Mix cornstarch water again until fully dissolved and swirl it into the skillet. Gently stir a few times with a spatula, until sauce thickens.
Turn off heat and transfer everything to a bowl.
Garnish with extra green onion and a small pinch of the ground Sichuan peppercorns, if using.
Serve hot over steamed rice or by itself as main.
Notes: You can skip the meat and make this dish vegetarian.
In this case, I highly recommend replacing the meat with mushrooms (such as rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms) to enhance flavor.
