Mapo Tofu Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
2
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Calories
501 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Mapo Tofu Recipe
Description
This Mapo Tofu recipe utilizes soft tofu cubes blanched briefly to improve texture and taste, combined with ground beef or pork seasoned with salt and pepper. The core flavor comes from the spicy doubanjiang paste and fermented black beans, which are cooked briefly with aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and scallion whites to develop a deeply savory base. The optional addition of pepper flakes adds extra heat without overwhelming the dish.
The meat is fried until crispy, then integrated into the sauce. The mixture is braised with water or broth and light soy sauce to achieve a saucy consistency that coats the tofu cubes. A cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce, creating a glossy finish that complements the soft tofu texture.
Typically served hot over steamed rice, this dish offers a bold yet balanced profile of spicy, salty, and savory flavors with silkiness from the tofu. It works well as a main entrée in a family meal or casual dinner where hearty, comforting flavors are appreciated.
Ingredients
- 450 g tofu I am using Szechuan tender lushui tofu, soft
- 100 g beef minced meat, or pork
- 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 tbsp. neutral cooking oil divided, generic cooking oil
- 1.5 tbsp. doubanjiang ,roughly chopped
- 1/2 tbsp. fermented black beans ,also known as dou-chi and fermented soya beans, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp. pepper flakes optional, or powder
- water I use 400ml this time, or broth for braising
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce light
- 1 tsp. sugar ,optional for reducing the spiciness
- 2 green onion finely chopped, white part
- 4 garlic greens finely chopped, or scallion greens
- 2 garlic finely chopped, cloves
- 5 ginger finely minced (around 1 teaspoon, sliced
- 1/2 tbsp. Sichuan pepper for making fresh ground powder
Water starch
- 2 water 1/2 tablespoon
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
Serving
- rice steamed, for serving
Instructions
Marinate the beef or pork
- Add a small pinch of salt and ground pepper in minced beef or pork. Mix well and set aside.
Blanch tofu in water
- Cut tofu into square cubes (around 2cms). Bring a large amount of water to a boil and then add a pinch of salt. Slide the tofu in and cook for 1 minute. Move out and drain. This helps to remove the raw soy flavor form tofu.
Get the "mapo" flavor
- Get a wok and heat up around 2 tablespoons of oil, fry the minced meat until crispy. Transfer out and leave the oil in.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of vegetable cooking oil and fry doubanjiang for 1 minute over slow fire until the red turns red (bring us a lovely red color dish) and add fermented black beans, garlic, scallion white and ginger, cook for 30 seconds until aroma. Optionally mix pepper flakes in. Pepper flakes should be added at the end because it contains little water and can be burnt easily.
- Pour in water or stock. Add light soy sauce, sugar and half of the cooked beef (providing more flavors to the soup) after the broth boils and let it continue simmering for 2-3 minutes. Place the tofu in, simmer for another 6-8 minutes. The longer time of simmering helps the tofu to absorb the flavors.
Prepare the starch water and thicken the sauce
- During the process of simmering, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2.5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to make water starch. Stir the water starch and then pour half of the mixture to the simmering pot. Back push and wait for around 30 seconds and then pour the other half. You can slightly taste the tofu and add pinch of salt if not salty enough. Add cooked beef to creates some crispy texture and then drizzle sesame oil. Mix well.
Add a numbing feeling and serve!
- Transfer out when almost all the seasonings stick to tofu cubes. Sprinkle Szechuan peppercorn powder (to taste)and chopped garlic greens if using.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 501 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 501kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 22g | 44% |
| Fat | 35g | 54% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 35mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 1072mg | 45% |
| Potassium | 769mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 2390IU | 48% |
| Vitamin C | 6.1mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 137mg | 14% |
| Iron | 4.7mg | 26% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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