This is my take on 麻婆豆腐 mapo tofu, the iconic tingly-spicy Sichuan tofu dish. It’s a version fit for weeknights, slightly abbreviated but not at all short on flavor.
Ingredients
Tofu – Soft, medium, and firm tofu all have a place when I make mapo tofu. Soft tofu has the most ideal texture, while firm tofu retains a stronger soy flavor. I steer clear of silken tofu since it tends to break apart in the sauce.
Pork mince – I opt for pork in this recipe since I prefer the flavor, but beef is equally accepted. Beef may take a little longer to cook and will crisp up more. You may be tempted to increase the ratio of meat in this dish, but I urge you not. The pork is there to impart flavor and add texture, not overshadow the tofu.
Pixian doubanjiang 郫县豆瓣酱 – Pixian is to doubanjiang what Champagne is to sparkling wines. It’s the designated place name of the best doubanjiang, a fermented paste of broad beans and chilis. Also like Champagne, doubanjiang varies in age, typically more expensive with age. I prefer to use a combination of 180-day and 3-year aged doubanjiang to achieve my desired level of intensity and depth.
Douchi 豆豉 – Douchi are fermented black soybeans (not the black turtle beans common in Latin American cuisines). They’re salty little umami bombs with an earthy, funky flavor reminiscent of soy sauce or miso. The earliest forms of mapo tofu relied on douchi for savoriness and flavor complexity, it’s essential to the spirit of the dish.
Ginger – While not in all traditional recipes, I add ginger for a touch of zingy brightness to balance the rich and spicy flavors of all the other spices.
Sichuan peppercorns – Sichuan peppercorns create a unique numbing sensation on the tongue. They come in red and green varieties. The red variety is most common, fragrant and earthy. The green variety is more citrusy with a stronger tingling effect. Both will work in this recipe— I personally prefer more red Sichuan peppercorns to green here.
Chili flakes – My go-to chili flakes are from Sichuan, specifically the 二荆条 erjingtiao variety. They have mild to medium heat and a deep red color. If you substitute other chili flakes, keep in mind the typical American red chili flakes may be spicier.
Cornstarch – Texture is central to the appeal of mapo tofu, and cornstarch is the key ingredient to achieving the alluring glossy sauce. Make sure to mix well with cold water before adding to the dish so it disperses without clumps.
Order of Operations (Technique and Reasoning)
As important as the ingredients, the order in which you add ingredients in the recipe will drastically change the result. Most other mapo tofu recipes online are made in one wok, adding one ingredient after the other. My method asks you to cook in batches and blanch the tofu separately to achieve the best possible texture and flavor for each ingredient.
- Blanch tofu. Blanching will make the soy flavors in the tofu milder, allowing the sauce to shine through. More importantly, this heats the tofu so it cooks quickly and evenly in the sauce.
- Grind chilis and Sichuan peppercorns. Many chefs may opt to fry whole dry chilis and Sichuan peppercorns in oil and chop with a knife to make 刀口辣椒, a chopped chili condiment. Others may ask to dry toast the spices before blooming in hot oil. For my abbreviated take, I simply grind the chilis and Sichuan peppercorns into a coarse powder to be bloomed in hot oil later.
- Fry pork mince. Use a generous amount of oil to fry the pork mince until crispy and golden. The goal is to render pork fat and brown the pork slightly for flavor. When removing the mince, try to leave the flavorful pork oil behind.
- Fry doubanjiang and douchi. Using the remaining pork oil and a little extra fresh oil, the doubanjiang and douchi are bloomed in hot oil. Doubanjiang has a strong fermented flavor that mellows and reaches full potential when cooked in hot oil. Be careful not to burn it.
- Add dry spices and ginger. The dry spices are added a minute after the doubanjiang and douchi since their low moisture and fine texture is more prone to burn. Hot oil releases aroma and color.
- Add hot water and tofu. The fragrant red oil will combine with the water to form a sauce coating the tofu. Some other recipes may call for stock, I find water is most convenient and doesn’t compromise the flavors significantly. When adding the tofu, carefully push from the sides as not to break it apart. Simmer for a few minutes for the flavors to absorb into the tofu.
- Add reserved pork. The pork goes back in at one of the last steps to retain its texture. Most other online recipes call for building the sauce with the pork simmering the entire time, however I prefer the texture contrast the crispy pieces of pork provide.
- Thicken with cornstarch slurry. The starch slurry is traditionally added in multiple batches to carefully adjust consistency. Tofu will release some water while the heat evaporates water simultaneously, so go slowly and give it half a minute between additions to assess the texture.
- Garnish and serve. Top with green onions and optionally, a little extra Sichuan peppercorn powder.
Mapo Tofu
Ingredients
- 10 oz soft tofu, 1 inch cubes
- 2 oz pork mince
- 1 Tbsp Pixian doubanjiang I use 2:1 combo of 180 day and 3 year aged
- 2 tsp douchi
- 2 tsp Sichuan chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn I use mostly red with a few green
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp cold water
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced garnish
- 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder optional, garnish
- neutral high heat oil
- salt
Instructions
- In a pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 Tbsp salt. Add 10 oz soft tofu, 1 inch cubes to blanch for 2 minutes over medium heat. Drain and reserve the tofu for later use. I like to reserve the tofu in my serving bowl to also warm it.
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add 3 Tbsp neutral oil and heat until starting to smoke. Add 2 oz pork mince and break into small pieces right away. Fry until the pieces become golden and crispy on the edges. Remove pork and reserve, leaving the oil behind.
- Add 2 Tbsp additional neutral oil to the wok and heat until almost smoking. Add 1 Tbsp Pixian doubanjiang, 2 tsp douchi, stirring continuously for 1 minute to prevent burning. Add 2 tsp Sichuan chili flakes 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn, and 1 tsp ginger, and cook for another 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup hot water to the wok and the blanched tofu. Gently push the tofu around from the side to disperse without breaking apart. Simmer uncovered for 3 minutes over medium-low heat. In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 3 Tbsp cold water to form a slurry.
- Add the fried pork mince back into the wok. Stir slurry and stream in 1/3 of the slurry into the wok, immediately stirring, careful not to break the tofu cubes. Allow the mixture to simmer for 30 seconds and assess the texture, it should be like a thin gravy.If needed, stir slurry and stream in another 1/3 to further thicken. Repeat as needed to achieve the desired texture. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water to thin it back out.Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed as doubanjiang can vary in sodium.
- Transfer mapo tofu to a serving bowl and garnish with scallion and Sichuan peppercorn powder (optional). Serve immediately with rice.
