Homemade Mapo Tofu (Spicy Chinese Tofu & Pork Stew)
Ever crave a dish that simultaneously punches you in the face with flavor and cradles you in comfort? That's Mapo Tofu for you. This Sichuan classic is an explosive combination of fiery and numbing spices, tender tofu, and ground meat. It's like a jacked-up symphony playing on your taste buds - chaotic but harmonious.
Mapo Tofu is one of those dishes that doesn't play coy; it's unapologetically bold. But here's the twist - it's also a comfort food. You'd think with all those spices and robust flavors, it would be too intense. But the soft, silken tofu adds this layer of soothing relief that balances everything out. It's like a mosh pit with a chill-out zone right in the middle. Yeah, it's intense, but it's also oddly comforting.
Making Mapo Tofu at home isn't just about recreating a restaurant favorite; it's about playing with fire, literally and figuratively. You get to experiment with Sichuan peppercorns and doubanjiang, and explore a cuisine that thrives on extremes. And once you get a taste of homemade Mapo Tofu, that restaurant version just won't cut it anymore. You've been warned. 🤘🏼Adam
Mapo Tofu (Chinese Spicy Tofu + Pork Stew)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start by cutting your tofu into one-inch cubes.
- Prepare a pot of water with a significant amount of salt (the water should taste as salty as seawater). Once the water is steaming hot, add the tofu and remove from heat. Let the tofu sit in the brine.
- Next, toast Szechuan peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat until aromatic. Once toasted, grind the peppercorns using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
- Mince up some garlic.
- The Dobanjiang, a chili and broad bean paste, often comes in a jar or a bag. It should be more finely chopped, so give it a few runs over with your knife.
- Lastly, prepare a slurry by combining equal parts of cornstarch and water. This will be used to thicken the sauce towards the end of the cooking process.
- Heat a wok (or a large shallow pan if you don't have one) over high heat. Add a bit of neutral oil to coat the wok, then add ground pork. Let the pork cook for three or four minutes.
- Add the dobanjiang and mix well. The oil in the wok should turn a bright red color.
- Add in the minced garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper. Stir and cook for about a minute.
- Next, add the light soy sauce and your choice of stock.
- Then, add the cooking wine to the wok.
- Time to introduce the tofu. Drain it from the salty water and carefully add it to the bubbling sauce. Gently fold it in, being careful not to break it up.
- Let this mixture cook for about five or six minutes on medium-high heat, allowing the sauce to slightly reduce and all the flavors to come together.
- Once the sauce has thickened slightly, add the ground Szechuan peppercorns, black vinegar, and cornstarch slurry. Stir everything together lightly.
- After about a minute, remove the wok from the heat and pour in a tiny bit of sesame oil. Stir well to combine.
- Transfer the Mapo Tofu to a serving bowl.
- Garnish with chopped scallions or chives, whatever you have available.
- Serve with white rice and enjoy.
Adam's Notes
- When I say “Dark Vinegar” I mean Chinkiang vinegar.
- A “slurry” is a mixture of one part water to one part starch to be used as a thickener. It thickens on contact with liquid.
Stuff that I Use:
Doubanjiang (Chili Bean Paste)
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