I am not a big tofu eater. In fact, I've tried to like it and cook it on many occasions, but other than the odd bowl of miso soup, I tend to avoid those blocks of soy protein.
But recently some friends and I ordered Chinese food from a good place, and I tasted a fiery dish with silky, delicate chunks of tofu utterly infused with the flavor of pork, ginger, and peppercorns. I was hooked - what was this? It was ma po tofu (or mapo doufu) - a classic Szechuan dish known for its tingling ma la heat.
Every household and restaurant will have a slightly different take on this dish. I have only just begun to experiment with it, so this is a pretty basic recipe. It does include, though, some authentic notes that may be left out of Americanized recipes. The chili bean paste and the fermented black beans give a lot of depth and umami to this dish, and they're worth tracking down.
Ma Po Tofu
serves 4
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
1 block soft (not silken) tofu
4 inch piece of fresh ginger
6 large cloves of garlic
Vegetable or peanut oil
1/2 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons Sichuan chili bean paste (found in glass jars at the Asian grocery)
2 teaspoons fermented black beans (found in plastic bags at the Asian grocery)
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
Soy sauce
Green onions, to garnish
Toast the peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat, shaking the pan until they smell fragrant. Grind to a fine powder and set aside. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
Mince the ginger and garlic. Heat some oil in a large, heavy saucepan or a wok over medium heat, and add the ginger and garlic, stirring for about a minute. Add the pork and cook until cooked through. Add the chili bean paste and the fermented black beans and stir.
Add the broth and water and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat. Carefully add the tofu, stirring it gently so the cubes don't break up too much. Add the ground peppercorns and soy sauce to taste, and cook over low until the tofu is warmed through. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with rice.
Thank You for the tofu recipe.
At the Japan Society, I had a fabulous Japanese lunch in abox. 3 kinds of fish, egg plant, Tofu, pickled beets, a green leaf. The tofu was yellow in color and tasted like - not the usual soysauce kind - sorry - cannot describe it.
I think it will be nice to have a lot of japanese recipes. Ever since I had read Japanese women does not grow or old I am hooked. And the book Mindless eating is good too - it teaches how to portion control... I am still reading
Ma po tofu is Chinese comfort food. If you're feeling really lazy, there are jars of pre-mixed sauce available in most Asian grocery stores.
Instead of green onions, my mom used to add Chinese chives (speaking of harder to find ingredients). My poor mother could never get me to eat this when I was a kid, though (of course, now I love it).
I was introduced to mapo doufu by my friend's father, a former ex-pat in Shanghai and huge foodie. He never made his ma la hot, but it was still very tasty.
The restaurants around me all vary greatly in how they make their mapo doufu. Some are too saucy, some too dry, and some not even remotely spicy. Maybe I'll try my hand at making it one of these days and see if I can get it right. :)
i'm glad so many people like ma po tofu. i grew up in the city where this dish was invented :)
there's a trick to get rid of the distinct flavor of tofu if it's too strong - you could let the tofu (already cut) stay in a pot of boiling water for about one minute before adding it to the saucepan. not too long, otherwise the tofu will get too firm. you could also add half a teaspoon of salt to the water for a little added flavor.
You should try Kylie Kwon's recipe for Szechuan Fried Tofu. She is an Australian food writer / chef. The tofu is peppery, and crispy and silky and delicious.
What on earth are Szechuan peppercorns? How different are they from "normal" peppercorns?
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My gf's mom makes this with a lot of pork and its really good.
As for Szechuan peppercorn, they're definitely different. Check it out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sichuan_pepper
http://tummyrumble.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/what-is-szechuan-pepper/
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