Mapo Tofu
This is a popular Chinese dish featuring ground meat and tofu cooked in a spicy chili sauce. Learn how to make an authentic version of this dish at home.
Ingredients
- 16 oz soft tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- ¼ lb ground pork
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp doubanjiang, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp chili oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp water + 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 green scallions, finely sliced
- 1/2 tsp sichuan peppercorn powder
Instructions
- To make peppercorn powder, fry 1 heaping tbsp of peppercorns in a small skillet with about 1 tsp of oil (any kind). Toss peppercorn until aroma of peppercorns come out. Pat dry and let cool. Place into spice grinder and grind to powder. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Slide in tofu. Cook for about 1 minute. Drain tofu and set aside.
- In a large skillet, add the ground pork and sesame oil and cook until pork is cooked. Then add in the doubanjiang, garlic, ginger, chili oil. Cook for about 1 minute.
- Add in 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and slide in tofu. Stir in soy sauce and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. You can add more soy sauce if you feel it isn’t salty enough. If you feel it isn’t spicy enough you can add more chili oil or more doubanjiang. Keep in mind that you will also be adding peppercorn powder at the end which will add to the spiciness. If it is too spicy, you can add a little more sugar. Cook until sauce is reduced.
- In a small bowl add 2 1/2 tbsp water and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch is completely dissolved into water. Add to sauce and immediately stir so that the cornstarch slurry dissolves into the sauce and doesn't clump up. Cook about 30 more seconds or until sauce is thickened.
- Turn off heat and sprinkle peppercorn powder and scallions over dish. If desired, you can also drizzle with a little more chili oil.
- Serve immediately with rice or rice substitute of your choice.
Notes
- I like using soft tofu but you can also use silken or firm.
- Ground pork can be replaced with ground beef.
- Doubanjiang is a spicy fermented bean paste or broad bean sauce. I purchased “Pixian Broad Bean Sauce” at 99 Ranch. This can also be found on Amazon.*
- Szechuan peppercorns powder gives the dish the mouth-numbing spice. The peppercorns can be purchased at Asian markets or on Amazon. I purchased mine on Amazon.*
- *Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. Much like referral codes, this means I earn a small commission if you purchase a product I referred (at no extra charge to you).
Serving: 0.25of recipe, Calories: 229kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 159mg, Sugar: 5g, NET CARBS: 14
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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