**Mapo Doufu: A Spicy and Savory Sichuan Classic**
A staple in Sichuan cuisine, Mapo Doufu, or Pockmarked Tofu, is a flavorful and aromatic dish that tantalizes the taste buds with its distinct spicy and savory flavors. This classic dish features soft tofu braised in a rich sauce made from fermented bean paste, minced pork, and a variety of aromatic ingredients, including Pixian douban (Sichuan broad bean paste), chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and scallions. The result is a dish that is both comforting and exciting, with a perfect balance of heat, umami, and numbing spiciness. In this article, we present two versions of Mapo Doufu: a traditional recipe that stays true to its Sichuan roots and a vegetarian alternative that offers a delicious plant-based take on this beloved dish. Both recipes are easy to follow and provide detailed instructions to guide you through the cooking process. So, get ready to embark on a culinary journey to Sichuan and savor the authentic flavors of Mapo Doufu!
MAPO TOFU RECIPE
Famous Mapo Tofu Recipe From Sichuan Cuisine. Recipe video below.
Provided by Elaine
Categories Main Course
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Add a small pinch of salt and ground pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Cut tofu into square cubes (around 2cms). Bring a large amount of water to a boil and then add a pinch of salt. Slide the tofu in and cook for 1 minute. Move out and drain. This helps to remove the raw soy flavor form tofu.
- Get a wok and heat up around 2 tablespoons of oil, fry the minced meat until crispy. Transfer out and leave the oil in.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of vegetable cooking oil and fry doubanjiang for 1 minute over slow fire until the red turns red (bring us a lovely red color dish) and add fermented black beans, garlic, scallion white and ginger, cook for 30 seconds until aroma. Optionally mix pepper flakes in. Pepper flakes should be added at the end because it contains little water and can be burnt easily.
- Pour in water or stock. Add light soy sauce, sugar and half of the cooked beef (providing more flavors to the soup) after the broth boils and let it continue simmering for 2-3 minutes. Place the tofu in, simmer for another 6-8 minutes. The longer time of simmering helps the tofu to absorb the flavors.
- During the process of simmering, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2.5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to make water starch. Stir the water starch and then pour half of the mixture to the simmering pot. Back push and wait for around 30 seconds and then pour the other half. You can slightly taste the tofu and add pinch of salt if not salty enough. Add cooked beef to creates some crispy texture and then drizzle sesame oil. Mix well.
- Transfer out when almost all the seasonings stick to tofu cubes. Sprinkle Szechuan peppercorn powder (to taste)and chopped garlic greens if using.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 501 kcal, Carbohydrate 21 g, Protein 22 g, Fat 35 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Sodium 1072 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 6 g, ServingSize 1 serving
MAPO TOFU
This mapo tofu recipe is the true blue, authentic real deal-the spicy, tongue-numbing, rice-is-absolutely-not-optional mapo tofu that you get in the restaurants!
Provided by Kaitlin
Categories Tofu
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- First, we toast the chilies. If you have homemade toasted chili oil, you can skip this step. Heat your wok or a small saucepan over low heat. Add ¼ cup of the oil and throw in the fresh and dried peppers. Stir occasionally and heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes, ensuring that the peppers don't burn. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil in your wok over medium heat. Add the ginger. After 1 minute, add the garlic. Fry for another minute, and then turn up the heat to high and add the ground pork. Break up the meat and fry it until it's cooked through. Add your ground Sichuan peppercorns and stir for about 15-30 seconds, taking care to not let it burn, as it will turn bitter if it does.
- Add the spicy bean sauce to the mixture and stir it in well. Add ⅔ cups of chicken broth to the wok and stir. Let this simmer for a minute or so. While that's happening, ready your tofu and also put a ¼ cup of water in a small bowl with your cornstarch and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to your sauce and stir. Let it bubble away until the sauce starts to thicken. (If it gets too thick, splash in a little more water or chicken stock.)
- Then add your chili oil from before-peppers and all! If you are using homemade chili oil, ONLY use the standing oil, as it's likely that you have salted it and you only want the oil, not additional salt. Stir the oil into the sauce, and add the tofu. Use your spatula to gently toss the tofu in the sauce. Let everything cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the sesame oil and sugar (if using) along with the scallions and stir until the scallions are just wilted.
- Serve with a last sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn powder as a garnish if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 335 kcal, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 11 g, Fat 29 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 126 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g, ServingSize 1 serving
MABO DOFU
My grandmother's recipe for pork tofu. Serve over white rice.
Provided by sakuraiiko
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Asian Chinese
Time 40m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat the sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir the ginger and garlic until the garlic just begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pork, breaking it up as you stir, and cook and stir until the pork is browned and broken into small pieces. Add the chili bean sauce, soy sauce, sake, and oyster sauce, stir to mix the ingredients together, reduce heat, and let simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 more minutes.
- Thin the sauce with water as needed (sauce should not be watery) and gently stir in the tofu. Simmer until the tofu is hot and coated with sauce, about 10 minutes, stirring a few more times. Serve sprinkled with chopped green onion.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 260.2 calories, Carbohydrate 3.3 g, Cholesterol 40.9 mg, Fat 19.5 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 17.2 g, SaturatedFat 5.5 g, Sodium 436.8 mg, Sugar 1.3 g
SICHUAN MAPO TOFU
Steps:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Mix the tapioca starch and the soy sauce together.
- Marinate pork for about 20 minutes.
- Cut the tofu ( bean curd ) into 1/2-inch square cubes, and blanch (drop into boiling water) for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from boiling water and drain.
- Chop leek or green onions into short lengths.
- Heat wok and add oil. When the oil is ready, add the marinated pork. Stir-fry pork until the color darkens. Add salt and stir.
- Add the salted black beans. Mash the beans with a cooking ladle until they blend in well with the meat.
- Add the chili bean paste, then the stock, bean curd, and leek or green onions. Turn down the heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- While cooking, mix cornstarch , water, and soy sauce together. Add to wok and stir gently.
- Serve with freshly ground Szechuan pepper and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 469 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Cholesterol 49 mg, Fiber 3 g, Protein 45 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 2021 mg, Fat 23 g, ServingSize 2 servings, UnsaturatedFat 15 g
SPICY SICHUAN TOFU (MAPO DOUFU)
Provided by Eileen Wen Mooney
Categories Wok Pork Stir-Fry Quick & Easy Dinner Meat Tofu Soy Sauce Gourmet Dairy Free Tree Nut Free
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Grind peppercorns in grinder and set aside.
- Cut tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and pat dry.
- Heat wok over high heat until it begins to smoke, then pour oil down side and swirl to coat bottom and side. Stir-fry pork until no longer pink. Add bean sauce, black beans, and chile powder and stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in stock, soy sauce, sugar, tofu, and a pinch of salt. Simmer, gently stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir together cornstarch and water until smooth.
- Stir cornstarch mixture into stir-fry and simmer, gently stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in scallions and simmer 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with Sichuan pepper.
- **Serve with:**perfect steamed rice
MAPO TOFU
You can order mapo tofu from many Chinese restaurants, but it's also quite doable at home. You can find the pivotal fermented chile and broad (fava) bean sauce or paste called doubanjiang (sometimes rendered as "toban djan") at a Chinese market. Look for a doubanjiang from Pixian, in Sichuan, and bear in mind that oilier versions have extra heat but may lack an earthy depth. Sichuan peppercorns add mala - tingly zing - and fermented black beans, called douchi, lend this dish a kick of umami. Ground beef is traditional, but many cooks choose pork; you can also try lamb, turkey thigh or a plant-based meat alternatives. Add chile flakes for extra fire, and balance mapo's intensity with rice and steamed or stir-fried broccoli.
Provided by Andrea Nguyen
Categories dinner, lunch, weeknight, grains and rice, meat, one pot, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings (about 4 cups)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Prepare the tofu: Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and put into a bowl. Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and when the boiling subsides, pour hot water over the tofu to cover. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large (14-inch) wok or (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns for 2 to 3 minutes, until super fragrant and slightly darkened. (A wisp of smoke is normal.) Let cool briefly, then pound with a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a spice grinder.
- Set a strainer over a measuring cup, then add the tofu to drain; reserve 1 1/2 cups of the soaking water, discarding the rest. Set the tofu and reserved soaking water near the stove with the peppercorns and other prepped ingredients for swift cooking.
- Reheat the wok or skillet over high. When hot - you can flick water in and it should sizzle and evaporate within seconds - swirl in the oil to evenly coat, then add the meat. Stir and mash into cooked and crumbly pieces, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 2 1/2 tablespoons doubanjiang, the douchi (if using), ginger and red-pepper flakes (if using). Cook about 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until things are vivid reddish brown. Add the soy sauce and sugar, stir to combine, then add the tofu. Gently stir or shake the pan to combine the ingredients without breaking up the tofu much.
- Add the reserved 1 1/2 cups soaking water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook for about 3 minutes, agitating the pan occasionally, to let the tofu absorb the flavors of the sauce.
- Slightly lower the heat and taste the sauce. If needed, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of doubanjiang for heat, a pinch of salt for savoriness, or a sprinkle of sugar to tame heat.
- Add the scallions and stir to combine. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, then stir in enough to the mapo tofu to thicken to a soupy rather than a gravy-like finish. Sprinkle in the ground peppercorns, give the mixture one last stir to incorporate, then transfer to a shallow bowl. Serve immediately with lots of hot rice.
MAPO TOFU
Even if you're not keen on tofu, give this mapo tofu a go. It's hot and really strongly flavoured thanks to chilli bean paste, fermented black beans and more
Provided by Diana Henry
Categories Dinner, Lunch, Main course, Supper
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Get all the ingredients ready before you start cooking and set them out in bowls. Drain the tofu and cut it into 1.5cm cubes. Put it in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Leave this while you get on with everything else.
- Heat a wok and pour in the groundnut oil. Get this really hot and fry the pork until it's crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon but leave the oil behind.
- Add the bean paste and cook, stirring for a few mins until fragrant, then add the black beans, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, for a min or so, then add the stock and let it bubble away.
- Stir the cornflour and water into the mixture in the wok, drain the tofu and stir it into the sauce. Tip in the spring onions and the mince.
- Add the chilli oil, if using, and sprinkle over the Sichuan peppercorns. The sauce shouldn't need seasoning with salt, as many of the ingredients are salty already. Serve with boiled white rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 310 calories, Fat 21 grams fat, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 6 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 2 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 22 grams protein, Sodium 1 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Mise en place: Before you start cooking, make sure you have all your ingredients and tools ready. This will help you stay organized and avoid scrambling while cooking.
- Use fresh ingredients: The fresher your ingredients, the better your mapo tofu will taste. Look for firm tofu, fresh vegetables, and high-quality spices.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: When cooking the tofu, don't overcrowd the pan. This will prevent the tofu from getting crispy and will make it more likely to stick to the pan.
- Use a good quality chili oil: The chili oil is one of the key ingredients in mapo tofu. Make sure you use a good quality chili oil that has a good flavor and heat level.
- Simmer the sauce: Once you've added all the ingredients to the sauce, let it simmer for at least 15 minutes. This will help the flavors to develop and deepen.
- Serve with rice: Mapo tofu is typically served with rice. The rice helps to soak up the delicious sauce.
Conclusion:
Mapo tofu is a delicious and versatile dish that can be easily made at home. With its savory and spicy sauce, tender tofu, and aromatic vegetables, mapo tofu is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal, give mapo tofu a try!
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