Mapo Tofu
Silken tofu in a fiery, numbing sauce of chili bean paste and pork
- Serves
- 4
- Hands-on
- Total
- Level
- Some skill
Mapo tofu is soft cubes of tofu in a glossy red sauce built on doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), with a little ground meat for savoriness and Sichuan pepper for tingle. Simmering the tofu in salted water first firms its surface so it stays in neat cubes.
Ingredients
- 500 gsoft or silken tofu (1 lb 2 oz)cut in 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes
- 5 gfine sea salt (¾ tsp)for the tofu water
- 3 tbspneutral oil
- 150 gground pork or beef (5 oz)
- 2 tbspdoubanjiang (Pixian chili bean paste)chopped if chunky
- 1 tbspfermented black beansrinsed and chopped; optional
- 1 tspchili flakes or ground chili
- 3 clovesgarlicfinely chopped
- 15 gfresh ginger (½ in piece)finely chopped
- 250 mlChicken Stock (1 cup)or water
- 1 tbsplight soy sauce
- 1 tspsugar
- 1½ tbspcornstarchmixed with 3 tbsp cold water
- 1 tspSichuan peppercornstoasted and finely ground
- 3scallionsthinly sliced
- Diet
- Dairy-free
- Allergens
- soy, gluten, celery
- Origin
- China (Sichuan)
Method
- Bring 1 L (1 qt) water to a simmer with the salt. Slide in the tofu and simmer very gently for 3 minutes. Leave it in the water off the heat.
- Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the meat and fry, breaking it up, until browned and crisp, 4–5 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the doubanjiang and fry, stirring, until the oil turns red, 1 minute. Add the black beans, chili flakes, garlic and ginger and stir 30 seconds.
- Add the stock, soy sauce and sugar and bring to a simmer. Lift in the tofu with a slotted spoon. Simmer 4 minutes, nudging gently with the back of a spatula rather than stirring, so the tofu absorbs the sauce.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry (the cornstarch mixed with cold water), add it in two or three additions, gently swirling the pan, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the tofu, 1 minute.
- Scatter with Sichuan pepper and scallions. Serve with plenty of plain rice.
Why it works
Brief simmering in salted water seasons the tofu and firms its outer layer, so the delicate cubes do not break up in the wok. Doubanjiang is fermented broad beans and chili; frying it in oil develops its deep savory flavor and colors the sauce red. Cornstarch thickens the sauce so it coats each cube.
Common mistakes
- Stirring vigorously: the tofu breaks. Push and swirl instead.
- Burning the chili bean paste: keep the heat at medium once it goes in.
Variations
- Vegan
- Use 150 g finely chopped shiitake mushrooms instead of meat and water instead of stock.
Make ahead and storage
Best fresh; keeps 1 day in the fridge.
Notes
Doubanjiang often contains wheat flour; it and soy sauce contain gluten. Store-bought stock may contain celery.
