Every time I eat Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐 má pó dòu fǔ), I think of the pockmarked lady from the Qing Dynasty who created the dish. “Ma” (麻) is an abbreviation of “麻子” which means pockmarks, and “Po” (婆) stands for an old woman. This old lady managed a restaurant in Chengdu, Sichuan. This dish she created with tofu, ground meat, Chili Bean Sauce (豆瓣醬 dòu bàn jiàng), and Sichuan peppercorns (花椒 huā jiāo) became so popular that people started calling it “麻婆豆腐” (Mapo Tofu), literally translated as the “Pockmarked Old Woman’s Tofu”.
Nowadays, Mapo Tofu is a staple in Sichuan cuisine. Why is it so popular? It encompasses an orchestra of flavors and textures: 麻 (numbness), 辣 (spicy)、鮮 (fresh)、燙 (hot)、嫩 (tender)、捆 (bundle, intact tofu), and 酥 (crispy). The Sichuan peppercorns make your tongue numb, the spicy chili sauce makes you sweat, the ground meat is browned crispy with aromatic herbs, and all these fierce flavors are absorbed into the fresh, hot, yet tenderly soft tofu as a holy union.
This can also be transformed into a fantastic vegetarian or vegan dish if you skip the step of adding ground meat!
A couple of tips in making this dish:
- The dish has the authentic 麻辣 (málà, numbing and spicy) flavor found in Sichuan food. If you like a bit of spiciness but not complete numbness, just skip the last step of adding the Sichuan peppercorns.
- To facilitate the sauce absorption while keep the tofu intact, use the back of your utensil to push the tofu gently instead of the front, and scoop the sauce over.
Don’t be alarmed by the long list of ingredients. I grouped them by step, starting from the initial aromatic seasoning, followed by the main seasoning, and finishing with the final touch and garnish. Once you get familiar with the three stages, you can quickly and easily get a handle of many Chinese recipes!
Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)
You can use any type of tofu. I've tried them all: firm, soft, and silken. I personally like the silken type the most (as shown in the video above) as it is the tenderest; however, even the firmest one works if you simmer it long enough in the broth to tenderize.
Ingredients
- tofu - 1 box (15 oz)
- ground pork - or beef. 4 oz.
- Aromatic Seasoning (Step 2)
- cooking oil - 2 tablespoons
- scallion - 3, chopped, separated into white parts (for aroma) and green parts (for garnish)
- ginger - 1/2 tablespoon, minced
- garlic - 4 cloves, minced, about 1 1/2 tablespoons
- Chili Bean Seasoning (Steps 4 - 7)
- broth - or water, 1 cup
- chili bean sauce - 2 tablespoons
- chilli powder - (optional) 1 tablespoon. Alternate: red pepper powder, chili oil
- soy sauce - 2 teaspoons
- sugar - 2 teaspoons
- Finishing Touch (Step 8)
- cornstarch slurry - 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 teaspoons of water
- sesame oil - 1 teaspoon
- Garnish
- Sichuan pepperscorn - (optional) 1 teaspoon, crushed or grounded
Instructions
Video is also provided at the top of this article to demonstrate the steps.
- Cut tofu into small cubes. For a 15-oz packaged tofu, typically measured 5 x 4 x 2 inches (commonly sold in supermarkets), run one cut through the middle, 3 cuts vertically, and 5 horizontally. [see video above at 0:03]
- Heat wok with cooking oil. Add scallions (white parts only), ginger, and garlic. Stir over medium heat until fragrant. [0:17]
- Add ground meat. Cook until the meat turns color to white. [0:30]
- Add Chili Bean Sauce. Stir and cook until meat is coated red. [0:40]
- Add broth or water. If you like it spicier, add chili powder or red pepper powder of your choice. Further top with chili oil if you dare! 🙂 [0:45]
- Put tofu carefully into the wok. Turn up heat and wait for boiling. To avoid breaking tofu apart, do not stir. Push gently using the back of your utensil instead and scoop sauce over tofu occasionally to help tofu absorb the sauce. [0:55]
- When boiling, add sugar, soy sauce. The saltiness of the chili bean sauce varies across brands, so taste and adjust the seasoning to your like. [1:05]
- Add cornstarch slurry. Simmer for a minute or two until the sauce is thickened. Drizzle sesame oil on the top. [1:10]
- Plate up. Sprinkle Sichuan peppercorns
if desired. Garnish with the remaining green scallions. [1:20]
Advanced tips:
To get the most out of Sichuan peppercorns, ground or crush it right before putting it into the dish. To further enhance the flavor, you can roast it for about 1 to 2 minutes on low heat before grounding or crushing.
Allergens
It looks so yummy and makes me hungry now!
I wish I can order it
Thank you for visiting. Give the recipe a shot! It may be faster than the delivery 🙂