Mapo tofu. Mapo Tofu can be found in almost any Chinese restaurant around the world with hundreds of variations adapting the piquant original to suit local tastes. Marc Matsumoto of NoRecipes shares the story. Mapo tofu is one of the top ten famous Chinese dishes and enjoys a high popularity among not only Chinese people but also many western countries.

You can find the pivotal fermented chile and broad (fava) bean sauce or paste called doubanjiang. Mapo Tofu is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan Province, where spicy food is king and the signature spice of the region--the Sichuan Peppercorn--gives dishes a unique "numbing" effect. Mapo Tofu is a classic Szechuan dish that features tofu covered in spices and minced meat. You can have Mapo tofu using 25 ingredients and 8 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Mapo tofu

You need of For the mince meat seasoning:.
It's 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper.
You need 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt.
It's 1 of cap of Shaoshing Rice Wine.
Prepare of Thickening mapo tofu sauce:.
You need 1 teaspoon of corn starch.
Prepare 1-2 tablespoon of water (to create a liquid paste).
It's of Making the mapo tofu:.
It's 1 tablespoon of cooking oil (or any cooking oil of preference).
Prepare 1-2 teaspoons of Sichuan peppercorns (add more or less depending on spice level preference).
You need 2 teaspoons of ginger, finely minced or grated.
Prepare 2 of spring onions, finely sliced (stalk part for cooking, green part for garnish).
It's 500 g of mince pork (or any other mince meat depending on preference).
It's 2 of medium garlic cloves, finely minced or grated.
It's 500-600 g of medium firm tofu or silken tofu, drained and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (add more or less depending on preference).
You need 1/3 cup of frozen peas (add more or less depending on preference), soaked in warm water.
You need of For the mapo tofu sauce:.
Prepare 2 tablespoons of La/spicy Doubanjiang (chilli broad bean paste).
You need 1 tablespoons of Non-spicy Doubanjiang (broad bean paste).
You need 1-2 tablespoon of crushed Yellow bean sauce (add more or less depending on preference).
You need 1-2 tablespoons of spicy chilli sauce (or spicy crushed garlic sauce if not using fresh garlic).
Prepare 1-2 teaspoons of white pepper.
Prepare 1-2 cups of hot water (from kettle).
Prepare of Garnish:.
It's of Spring onions, finely sliced.

It pairs extremely well with rice, and may even be necessary with how spicy it can get. The name literally translates to "pockmarked old lady tofu", inspired by the old lady that made this dish. Mapo Tofu is a classic dish hailing from the area of Sichuan in China. This amazing dish has soft and tender tofu pieces mixed in with ground pork while being seasoned with a bunch of spice.

Mapo tofu instructions

In a bowl transfer the mince meat and season with white pepper, salt and Shaoshing rice wine. Set aside..
Finely chop the garlic, ginger and spring onions and set aside. In a wok on medium heat, heat up the oil, add the Sichuan peppercorns and cook until fragment. Then add the ginger and the chopped stalks of the spring onions and stir occasionally to prevent burning. Cook for 1-2 minutes..
Add the mince meat and break it into small grains (to avoid getting clumps) using a wooden spatula. When the meat is almost cooked add the garlic and stir occasionally to avoid the garlic getting burnt..
When the meat is cooked add both types of doubanjiang stirring to distribute the paste evenly, then add the rest of the sauces. Let it cook for a few minutes so the meat can soak in the flavours of the sauces. Then add the hot water (pre boiled kettle water) and let it simmer. Reduce heat to low for 5 - 7 minutes and cover with lid. Taste the sauce and amend if needed (add more spicy chilli sauce for hotter, white pepper or non spicy doubangjiang etc)..
Gently place the cubed tofu into the mixture. Tip: gently stir and mix the tofu in to avoid it loosing its shape and breaking apart. Let it cook for 1 minute. Lastly, add the peas and gently stir and incorporate into the mixture..
In a small bowl add the cornstarch and water. Stir well until the mixture has dissolved into a liquid paste..
Now add cornstarch mixture to wok. Stir everything gently, place a lid on the wok. Leave to simmer and turn the heat to very low heat for 5 - 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Tip: if the mixture is still thin add a little more cornstarch liquid to make the sauce thicker..
Once the sauce is to desired thickness, to finish off garnish the mapo tofu with the finely sliced green part of the spring onions. Then transfer into a large serving bowl. Eat and and serve immediately while hot. Eat it with a bowl of rice and some side dishes like steamed or panfried vegetables..

It's a very flavorful dish that is incredibly easy to make. Mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐, ma po dou fu) is one of the most popular classic Sichuan dishes. It has a spicy, pungent, and appetizing flavor that goes perfectly with steamed rice. I love cooking mapo tofu for a quick lunch or dinner. Sometimes I double the meat and sauce, so it will be enough to serve two people as a one-dish meal.