Mapo Tofu
Cubes of tofu are braised in an almost too-hot-to-handle sauce flavored with fermented black beans and chili paste, and dotted with pieces of crispy beef or pork.
Serves4 to 6
Prep20 minutes
Cook30 minutes
For years, my partner and I argued over the merits of tofu. I defended my favorite soy products from accusations of being tasteless, amorphous, and simply dull. It wasn’t until I rediscovered my family’s recipe for my favorite dish that I found my best tofu defense. An authentic, lovingly prepared mapo tofu is undoubtedly the surest (and quickest) way to set tofu detractors straight. And, of the many words that could be used to describe this classic Chengdu dish, “dull” is simply not one of them.
In the Sichuan province, known for its eponymous mouth-numbing peppercorns, mapo tofu literally translates to pockmarked grandmother, which I acknowledge is a none-too-appealing descriptor. Putting its name aside, mapo tofu is one of the most unctuous and flavor-packed specialties of the region. When I was a child, I loved the dish for its almost too-hot-to-handle sauce dotted with silken bits of tofu and crispy beef or pork, depending on its maker. The spice level and bit of funk comes from the addition of fermented black beans and chili bean paste.
While most Chinatown supermarkets will sell pre-packaged mapo tofu sauces, my ever-engineering parents experimented with their own ratios and recipes, swapping out beef for our preferred pork, and adding a bit more sugar than usual to account for their Shanghainese palettes.
My favorite thing about my family recipe — like many Sichuan recipes — is that there is no right answer. Just about any ingredient amount can be increased or decreased according to taste, and aside from the tofu, chili paste, and fermented beans, there are few “staples” in the recipe. Because creativity was our only limiting factor, we’ve played around with making it vegetarian, less spicy, or more acidic to suit our tastes and preferences. And that’s exactly how a family recipe ought to be.
Mapo Tofu Recipe
Cubes of tofu are braised in an almost too-hot-to-handle sauce flavored with fermented black beans and chili paste, and dotted with pieces of crispy beef or pork.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons
soy sauce, divided
- 2 teaspoons
granulated sugar, divided
- 4 ounces
ground pork or ground beef
- 1 1/2 pounds
silken or medium firm tofu (medium firm will be easier to handle)
- 1 (1-inch) piece
ginger
- 6 cloves
garlic
- 1 to 2
medium scallions
- 1 1/2 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons
Sichuan chili bean paste or sauce (doubanjiang), such as Lee Kum Kee
- 1 tablespoon
ground Sichuan peppercorns or Chinese red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons
neutral oil, such as grapeseed
- 1 2/3 cups
low-sodium vegetable, chicken, or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon
Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons
water
- 1 tablespoon
cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon
toasted sesame oil
Steamed white rice, for serving
Instructions
Place 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add 4 ounces ground pork or ground beef and mix until combined. Let marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Drain and cut 1 1/2 pounds silken or medium firm tofu. Cut into 1-inch cubes and place in a medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover the tofu. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and simmer for 1 minute. Drain and set aside in the strainer.
Peel and finely chop a 1-inch piece of ginger until you have 2 teaspoons. Finely chop 6 garlic cloves (about 1 1/2 tablespoons). Add the ginger and garlic to the pork (no need to mix in). Finely chop 1 to 2 medium scallions and set aside for garnish.
Rinse and coarsely chop 1 1/2 tablespoons fermented black beans. Place in a small bowl. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons Sichuan chili bean paste, and 1 tablespoon ground Sichuan peppercorns.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and heat until shimmering. Add the meat mixture and stir-fry until the meat is no longer pink and begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the fermented black bean mixture and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 2/3 cups low-sodium broth, and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Gently slide the tofu into the pan and gently stir to combine. Boil until the sauce is reduced slightly, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, place 1 1/2 tablespoons water and1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved.
Reduce the heat to medium. While stirring constantly, pour in the cornstarch mixture and simmer until the sauce is thickened and glossy, about 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and drizzle with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. Garnish with the scallions and serve over steamed rice.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.