Mapo Tofu
Recipe video above. Mapo Tofu is in my all-time Top 5 foods. That's how much I love it. So I am beyond excited to bring you this Sichuan classic that is everything a great, authentic Mapo Tofu should be - fiery, deeply savoury, unapologetically bold and so incredibly delicious, I almost wept with happiness!It's a recipe from our RTM Chef Xiao (Hannah) Huang, born and raised in Sichuan. So she knows a thing or two about Mapo Tofu! See all Hannah's recipes here.See Notes section for spiciness and how to control.PS I know 100g/3.5oz pork doesn't sound like a lot compared to 600g/21oz tofu, but it seems like so much more in the finished dish! Mapo tofu magic :)
Servings: 4 - 5 people (or 1 Nagi)
Calories: 275cal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp whole pink Sichuan peppercorns (or green) - for 1 tsp powder (Note 1)
Blanched tofu:
- 600g/ 21 oz silken tofu , cut into 1.5cm / 0.6" squares (Note 2)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for salt flakes)
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 3)
Golden pork:
- 1 tbsp canola oil , or other neutral oil eg. vegetable, peanut
- 100g/ 3.5 oz pork mince (ground pork), preferably 20% fat but even lean is fine, or beef (Note 4)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce (or regular / all-purpose soy, not dark soy sauce)
Mapo tofu:
- 1/4 cup canola oil (Note 5)
- 2 tbsp garlic , finely minced (4 large cloves)
- 2 1/2 tbsp ginger , finely minced with a knife
- 1 tbsp preserved black beans (aka salted black beans, fermented black beans), finely chopped (Note 6)
- 1 tbsp broad bean sauce/paste , we use Pixian doubanjiang, the spicy Sichuan version (Note 7)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce (or regular / all-purpose soy, not dark soy sauce)
- 2 tsp chilli powder , pure - NOT US chili powder blend (Note 8)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (substitute regular/sweet paprika)
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 green onion stem , finely sliced
- 3/4 cup beef stock/broth , low sodium
- 1 tsp sesame oil (toasted ie. brown, not un-toasted which is yellow)
Cornflour slurry
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Serving
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE:
- Toast, grind and sift Sichuan peppercorns. Blanch tofu 3 min. Cook pork until golden, remove.
- Sauté garlic and ginger 90 sec, then black bean and bean sauce 3 min, then chilli and paprika 30 sec. Add beef stock and soy, simmer tofu 10 min. Add sugar, pork, 1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper, then thicken sauce with cornflour slurry. Stir in green onion and sesame, serve garnished with 1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper.
FULL RECIPE:
Sichuan pepper powder:
- Toast peppercorns – In a small skillet over medium heat (no oil), toast the peppercorns for 2 - 3 minutes until fragrant (some will “pop” and crack open).
- Grind and sift – Transfer to a mortar and pestle, or spice grinder. Cool for a few minutes, then grind as finely as possible. Sift through a fine mesh sieve to remove the coarser husks (discard these). Measure out 1 teaspoon to use in the dish.
Blanched tofu:
- Blanch - Bring the water, dark soy and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over higher heat. Carefully add the tofu, then once it comes back up to the boil, lower the heat slightly so it’s simmering rapidly and simmer for 3 minutes. This step removes raw beany flavour and seasons the tofu. And don't worry, the tofu won't fall apart!
- Remove - Use a slotted spoon to carefully scoop the tofu out into a bowl. Set aside.
Mapo tofu:
- Cook golden pork – Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. (Note 9) Cook pork, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see pink. Then lower the heat to medium and cook for another 2 minutes until the pork has golden bits. Add the light soy sauce, stir for 5 seconds, the remove the pork into a bowl and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics – Reduce heat to low. Add the rest of the oil into the wok, then cook the garlic and ginger for 90 seconds. Add black beans and broad bean paste, cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chilli powder and paprika, cook for 30 seconds..
- Simmer – Add the beef stock and light soy. Turn the heat up to medium high, then once it starts bubbling, gently add the tofu (discard any excess water pooled in the tofu bowl). Simmer gently for 10 minutes (lower heat as needed), gently scraping the base with a rubber spatula every now and then to ensure it doesn’t catch (I push across base, avoid stirring as tofu will break). There should still be plenty of liquid at the end, mapo tofu is saucy.
- Cornflour slurry – Mix the water and cornflour together. This will thicken the sauce.
- Thicken sauce – Add the sugar, pork mince, 1/2 teaspoon sichuan powder. Stir gently using the rubber spatula. Pour the cornflour slurry all over the surface (not in one place) then gently stir again.
- Finish and serve – Stir in most of the green onion (reserve a little for garnish) and sesame oil. Pour into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining Sichuan pepper and garnish with green onion. Serve over rice!
Notes
Spiciness - Mapo tofu is meant to be spicy, but it's not fiery heat like, say, Vindaloo. I can eat spoonfuls of Mapo Tofu without rice, and I'm not guzzling water down to cool the burn! Spiciness comes from the chilli powder which can be dialled back, then you can add more at the end to taste. Sichuan peppercorns brings a tongue-tingling numbing effect rather than hot spiciness. Highly fragrant and a key flavour element of mapo tofu so I really recommend not reducing the Sichuan pepper!
1. Sichuan peppercorns provides the signature tongue-tingling numbing effect that mapo tofu is famous for! It is not fiery spicy, like chilli. Chef Hannah insists grinding your own is essential for mapo tofu because the flavour is immeasurably better. She even made this using pre-ground at my request, and her verdict was clear - the flavour just wasn't there. 2. Silken tofu is the really soft, wobbly jelly-like type of tofu. Drain off water before use, and handle with care because it's fragile! Expect some breakage during cooking, it's inevitable, and some little bits of broken tofu are a characteristic of mapo tofu. 3. Dark soy has a more intense flavour and colour than regular soy, and it stains the tofu a light brown colour which is characteristic of authentic mapo tofu. It would not be the end of the world to use light soy or a regular all-purpose soy. :) 4. Meat - Beef is actually the traditional meat used so it can be used too. But pork is widely used these days and I think it's the meat that most Westerners associate with Mapo Tofu. I like that it is softer than beef so it melds better with the tofu. I've never seen beef in Mapo Tofu here in Sydney. 5. Oil quantity - Authentic mapo tofu has a layer of red oil on the surface, so you need this much to make the real deal! However, you could reduce if desired, but shhh don't tell Hannah! 6. Salted black beans (preserved black beans) - They are actually soy beans! This is a key ingredient for flavour in mapo tofu, so I can't offer a substitute. Also called fermented black beans and used in Beef in Black Bean Sauce, find it in Asian stores in the pickled/vac packed vegetable aisle, ~$2.70 a pack (long shelf life, or freeze). Wrinkled and a little squishy like raisins, not rock hard, and they are not black beans as in the legume. 7. Chinese broad bean sauce (doubanjiang) is a fermented paste made from broad beans, soybeans, and salt, often with chilli. It’s savoury, salty, and packed with umami. Also used in Spicy Sichuan Eggplant and Minced Pork! We use the spicy Sichuan version (Pixian doubanjiang) which is a well known brand. 8. Chilli powder - Not to be confused with US chill powder (one "l") which is a Tex-mex spice blend that is not spicy, this is what brings hot spiciness to the dish (reminder: mapo tofu is spicy!). Makes it spicy but not blow-your-head-off. If you're worried, start with less and stir in more at the end after tasting. Cayenne pepper substitute - works perfectly but use half. 9. Cooking vessel – If you don’t have a wok, use a medium pot rather than a skillet/fry-pan as else the surface area will be too large and the liquids will evaporate too quickly, plus you’ll find it harder to stir gently without the tofu breaking a lot. Leftovers - This is a dish best enjoyed freshly made, though leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, though I'd add a sprinkle of freshly ground Sichuan pepper to freshen it up. Not suitable for freezing. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. Excludes rice. (I'm secretly thrilled it's so low because you know that means I can enjoy MORE guilt-free!!)
1. Sichuan peppercorns provides the signature tongue-tingling numbing effect that mapo tofu is famous for! It is not fiery spicy, like chilli. Chef Hannah insists grinding your own is essential for mapo tofu because the flavour is immeasurably better. She even made this using pre-ground at my request, and her verdict was clear - the flavour just wasn't there. 2. Silken tofu is the really soft, wobbly jelly-like type of tofu. Drain off water before use, and handle with care because it's fragile! Expect some breakage during cooking, it's inevitable, and some little bits of broken tofu are a characteristic of mapo tofu. 3. Dark soy has a more intense flavour and colour than regular soy, and it stains the tofu a light brown colour which is characteristic of authentic mapo tofu. It would not be the end of the world to use light soy or a regular all-purpose soy. :) 4. Meat - Beef is actually the traditional meat used so it can be used too. But pork is widely used these days and I think it's the meat that most Westerners associate with Mapo Tofu. I like that it is softer than beef so it melds better with the tofu. I've never seen beef in Mapo Tofu here in Sydney. 5. Oil quantity - Authentic mapo tofu has a layer of red oil on the surface, so you need this much to make the real deal! However, you could reduce if desired, but shhh don't tell Hannah! 6. Salted black beans (preserved black beans) - They are actually soy beans! This is a key ingredient for flavour in mapo tofu, so I can't offer a substitute. Also called fermented black beans and used in Beef in Black Bean Sauce, find it in Asian stores in the pickled/vac packed vegetable aisle, ~$2.70 a pack (long shelf life, or freeze). Wrinkled and a little squishy like raisins, not rock hard, and they are not black beans as in the legume. 7. Chinese broad bean sauce (doubanjiang) is a fermented paste made from broad beans, soybeans, and salt, often with chilli. It’s savoury, salty, and packed with umami. Also used in Spicy Sichuan Eggplant and Minced Pork! We use the spicy Sichuan version (Pixian doubanjiang) which is a well known brand. 8. Chilli powder - Not to be confused with US chill powder (one "l") which is a Tex-mex spice blend that is not spicy, this is what brings hot spiciness to the dish (reminder: mapo tofu is spicy!). Makes it spicy but not blow-your-head-off. If you're worried, start with less and stir in more at the end after tasting. Cayenne pepper substitute - works perfectly but use half. 9. Cooking vessel – If you don’t have a wok, use a medium pot rather than a skillet/fry-pan as else the surface area will be too large and the liquids will evaporate too quickly, plus you’ll find it harder to stir gently without the tofu breaking a lot. Leftovers - This is a dish best enjoyed freshly made, though leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, though I'd add a sprinkle of freshly ground Sichuan pepper to freshen it up. Not suitable for freezing. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. Excludes rice. (I'm secretly thrilled it's so low because you know that means I can enjoy MORE guilt-free!!)
Nutrition
Calories: 275cal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 806mg | Potassium: 408mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 440IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg