Mapo tofu is a real classic from Sichuan cuisine (a Chinese province). Delicious tofu and minced meat in a spicy sauce.
The main thing:
Other stuff:
Made by Véronique
Published at 2021-11-21, this recipe is for 4 people and takes 30 minutes.
Founder of Ohmydish (established 2014). Would happily spend her entire day in the kitchen. Previously worked in the hospitality industry as an independent chef and is ready and willing to help you gain confidence in the kitchen. With her easy-to-follow recipes, helpful tips, and cooking knowledge, you will be making the very tastiest dishes yourself in no time! Véronique's recipes are intended for everyone, from beginners to advanced home cooks.
Updated at: 08-06-2022
View the original recipe via:
https://ohmydish.com/recipe/mapo-tofu
Drain the tofu and fill a large bowl with hot water. Add a generous amount of salt. Cut the tofu into cubes of around 2 cm, then place them in the salted water.
Finely dice the garlic clove and 2 small chillies. Cut the 2 spring onions into small slices. Remove the skin from the ginger using a tablespoon, then finely chop or grate it.
Prepare 175 ml beef stock.
Add a dash of sunflower oil to the wok and turn the heat up to high. Brown the minced meat, then remove it from the wok and place it in a small bowl.
Turn the heat to medium-high and add about 5 to 6 tablespoons of sunflower oil to the wok.
Let it heat up, then add 3 tablespoons of chilli bean paste and use a spatula to mix it well into the hot oil. Fry the chilli bean paste in the hot oil until you have a nice, red oil.
Now add 1 tablespoon of fermented black beans and the chopped chillies and stir fry them for a few minutes. Lower the heat and add the garlic and ginger.
Mix everything together well. Remove the diced tofu from the bowl using a slotted spoon. Add the tofu to the wok along with 175 ml of beef stock.
Mix the minced meat through the mapo tofu. Carefully stir the tofu through the sauce, along with the dried sichuan pepper, and bring to the boil. Let the mapo tofu cook for a few more minutes, so that the tofu absorbs the flavours.
Mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour and a dash of water in a small bowl and add to the wok. This will make the sauce thicker so it will properly coat the tofu.
Add ¾ of the spring onion and turn off the heat after a few minutes. Serve the mapo tofu with boiled white rice and the rest of the spring onion. Enjoy your meal!
What kind of tofu is best for mapo tofu?
Use a type of tofu that won't fall apart during baking. Don't use silken tofu.
Is mapo tofu vegetarian?
This version is not vegetarian, but you can easily replace the minced meat for a vegetarian alternative. Replace the beef stock with vegetable stock.
How long can I keep the mapo tofu?
Provided it is well sealed in an airtight container, you can enjoy the mapo tofu for at least 2 days after preparation.
Freezing is not recommended because the moisture in the tofu can cause it to break down on thawing, with a chance that the tofu will disintegrate completely.
