Mapo Tofu | 麻婆豆腐
- Daniel
- Mar 7, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: May 20
This is one of my favorite Chinese dishes. There are actually quite a number of variations for this dish. It traveled across China to Hong Kong, America and even Japan has their own version. I am not saying that my version is the traditional authentic one. This is how I prefer my Mapo Tofu to be prepared, cooked and served.
There are a few key ingredients that cannot be replaced: Szechuan peppercorns, DouBanJian and fermented black beans. You can get those ingredients easily at any Asian grocery store or Amazon. You can keep this vegetarian by replacing the ground beef with mushrooms, or if you dislike beef, you can use ground pork or chicken.
The trick is to keep tofu in tact. We can do so by blanching in salted hot water and pushing around gently when combining with the sauces. In case you are interested in the history of this dish, you can check out Wiki. In closing, I hope you'll my version of Mapo Tofu a try.
Ingredients:
(Serve 4)
Szechuan Peppercorns, 1 TBSP or Hexa's Szechuan Mala Rempah Adjust To Preference
Sea Salt, Pinch
Tofu Coarsely Sliced, 600g
Mustard Oil / Olive Oil / Sesame Oil, 2 TBSP
Garlic Finely Minced, 5 Cloves
Ginger Finely Minced, 1"
Scallions White Parts Coarsely Sliced, A Handful
Ground Beef, 150g
Chicken Stock Homemade, 240g
Chili Powder 1 TBSP Adjust To Preference
Chili Oil Homemade, 1 TBSP Adjust To Preference
DouBanJian | Fermented Chili Bean Paste, 2.5 TBSP
Fermented Black Beans Coarsely Chopped, 2 TBSP
Granulated Sugar, Pinch
Soy Sauce, 1 TBSP
Mushroom Powder, Pinch
Slurry, 1 TSP Potato Starch + 1 TSP Water
Toasted Sesame Oil, 1 TBSP
Szechuan Pepper Oil, 1 TBSP Adjust To Preference
Scallions Green Parts Corsely Sliced, A Handful
Equipment:
Sauce Pot
Cast Iron Skillet / Pan
Spice Grinder
Directions:
Please visit my "How To Make Chicken Stock" page for the recipe.
Please visit my "How To Make Chili Oil" page for the recipe.
Toast the Peppercorns
Toast Sichuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant.
Transfer to a spice grinder and blitz into a fine powder.
Set aside.
Shortcut: use Hexa’s Szechuan Mala Rempah instead.
Blanch the Tofu
Bring a saucepot of water to a gentle boil over medium heat.
Add salt and stir to dissolve.
Gently add tofu cubes and blanch for 2 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
Build the Sauce Base
In the same skillet over medium heat, heat up oil.
Sauté garlic, ginger, and scallions until fragrant.
Add ground beef and cook until just browned.
Deglaze with chicken stock.
Season the Dish
Stir in chili powder, chili oil, doubanjiang, and fermented black beans.
Sauté until well combined and aromatic.
Gently add the blanched tofu.
Push (don’t stir) to coat tofu without breaking it.
Add sugar, soy sauce, and mushroom powder.
Push again to mix gently.
Thicken and Finish
Add potato starch slurry and push gently to incorporate.
Simmer until thickened.
Taste and adjust for heat and salt.
Finish with sesame oil, homemade pepper oil, toasted peppercorn powder, and chopped scallions.
To make pepper oil: toast 1 tbsp peppercorns, add ¼ cup oil, cook for 1–2 minutes, strain.
Serve
Transfer gently to serving bowls.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Mama Mia...
Perfect every single time...
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