Mapo Tofu
Sichuan's mapo tofu: silken tofu cubes braised in a red-brown sauce of doubanjiang, black beans, pork mince, garlic, ginger and Sichuan peppercorns.
Overview
Silken tofu cubes are blanched briefly in salted water (firms slightly and seasons). Pork mince is fried hard in oil; doubanjiang and douchi join, cooking to release oil; garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and ground Sichuan peppercorn are toasted briefly. Stock is poured in; tofu is slipped in; gentle simmer for 5 minutes; cornflour slurry thickens. Spring onions and a final dusting of ground Sichuan peppercorn finish.
Ingredients
- 600 g silken tofu (very soft Chinese-style - not silken Japanese)
- 200 g pork mince (or beef)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons doubanjiang (Pixian fermented broad-bean paste)
- 1 tablespoon douchi (fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped, optional but classic)
- 1 tablespoon gochujang (or chilli bean sauce, optional, extra heat)
- 4 garlic cloves (very finely chopped)
- 1 thumb fresh ginger (very finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 350 ml chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn (toasted whole then ground)
- 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
- 4 spring onions (sliced thin)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn (extra, for finishing)
To serve
- 4 servings white rice
Method
Stage 1 - Prep tofu
- Cut tofu into 2 cm cubes carefully.
- Bring 1 litre of lightly salted water to a gentle simmer.
- Slide the tofu in; cook 2 minutes (firms slightly and seasons).
- Drain very gently. Set aside.
Stage 2 - Pork
- Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high.
- Add the pork mince; fry 4-5 minutes, breaking up clumps, until deep gold (almost crispy at edges).
Stage 3 - Pastes
- Reduce heat to medium. Push pork to one side.
- Add doubanjiang and douchi (if using) to the cleared half; fry 90 seconds until the oil splits and turns deep red.
- Stir into the pork.
Stage 4 - Aromatics
- Add garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn; cook 30 seconds.
Stage 5 - Liquid
- Pour in Shaoxing wine; let sizzle 15 seconds.
- Add stock, soy sauce, sugar.
- Bring to a simmer.
Stage 6 - Tofu
- Gently slide the blanched tofu cubes into the sauce.
- Spoon sauce over the tofu - do not stir aggressively (breaks the tofu).
- Simmer gently 5 minutes.
Stage 7 - Thicken
- Re-whisk the cornflour slurry.
- Pour into the pan in a thin stream while gently shaking the pan (rather than stirring).
- Simmer 1 minute until the sauce thickens to coat.
Stage 8 - Finish
- Drizzle sesame oil over the top.
- Scatter sliced spring onions.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of ground Sichuan peppercorn over the top.
Stage 9 - Serve
- Bring the wok to the table.
- Serve over hot rice.
Notes
- Silken Chinese tofu, not Japanese: Use the very soft Chinese silken (often labelled "soft tofu" or "silken tofu" - usually in a plastic tube). Japanese silken is too delicate; medium-firm tofu doesn't have the right slipperiness.
- Don't stir-aggressively: Pushing the tofu around breaks it. Lift with a spoon, ladle sauce over.
- Ground vs whole peppercorn: Toast whole peppercorns lightly, then grind. Pre-ground loses the mala kick fast.
Storage
- Refrigerate 2 days. Reheats well, though the tofu softens further.
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