P
Chinese · Sichuan
Mapo Tofu
Mapo tofu (Ma Po Dou Fu) is the masterwork of Sichuan cooking — silken tofu in a sauce of doubanjiang (fermented broad bean and chilli paste), black beans, ground pork, and the mala of Sichuan peppercorn-dried chilli. The tofu should be silken enough to quiver; the sauce should be deep red, glistening with chilli oil, and coat the tofu rather than pool around it. This is arguably the greatest use of tofu in any cuisine.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
600g
200g
ground pork
Your own market
30g
Doubanjiang (spicy bean paste)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
20g
chilli oil
Sichuan variety
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
10g
Sichuan peppercorns
coarsely ground
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
4 cloves
garlic
minced
Your own market
15ml
soy sauce
8g
sugar
Your own market
1 tsp
200ml
chicken stock
Your own market
2
scallions
sliced
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Heat 20ml neutral oil in a wok over medium-high heat; add minced garlic and fry 20 seconds until fragrant.
2
Add ground pork and stir-fry, breaking it apart, for 3 minutes until no longer pink.
3
Stir in Doubanjiang and chilli oil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, to bloom the flavours.
4
Pour in chicken stock and bring to a simmer; add tofu cubes and gently fold into the sauce, being careful not to break them.
5
Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes; season with soy sauce and sugar.
6
Drizzle cornstarch slurry over the surface and fold gently until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
7
Transfer to a serving bowl; sprinkle with ground Sichuan pepper and sliced scallions.
8
Serve immediately over steamed white rice.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where mapo tofu lives or dies is the tofu handling. Silken tofu is extremely fragile — it will break if stirred or tossed. Add the tofu cubes to the sauce and leave them undisturbed for 2 minutes, then gently spoon the sauce over the top to baste. Transfer to the serving bowl in one gentle scoop. A spoon dragged across the surface of the finished dish should move through the sauce without disturbing the tofu cubes below.
Pillars V — VII
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