Mapo Tofu (Beancurd) 麻婆豆腐: Filled with Fragrance of Fermented Beans and Szechuan Peppercorn
This is an easy mapo tofu recipe that anyone can cook when they are too busy and needed to cook something for a quick lunch or dinner. Mapo Tofu or Mapo doufu (麻婆豆腐) is a popular classic Chinese dish from the Sichuan province. It is extremely flavourful, spicy and has the signature pungent yet alluring taste that goes perfectly well with steamed white rich. It can also be served with steamed rice as a one meal dish too.
A Popular Sichuan Dish, Known Everywhere Around The World
This classic Sichuan cuisine consists of silken white tofu, mince meat, doubanjiang (豆瓣酱), fermented black beans (豆豉) and Sichuan peppercorns. Doubanjiang, also known as spicy fermented broadband and chilli paste is an essential ingredient in this dish. It is full of flavour and gives this dish a totally whole new dimension. The presence of ground Sichuan peppercorn really enhances the dish as it imparts burst of tongue and mouth numbling effect. It also gives the dish a nutty aroma that all Sichuan peppercorn lovers can’t do without.
As always, ENJOY!
Mapo Tofu Recipe 麻婆豆腐食谱 Huang Kitchen
Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐
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Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 100 grams meat, minced
- 450 grams white soft tofu, 1 box
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp doubanjiang, spicy fermented broadband and chilli paste
- ½ tbsp fermented black beans, douchi
- 2 stalks scallion, spring onion, chopped
- 5 clove garlic, chopped
- ½ tbsp ground sichuan peppercorn
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 400 ml water
Meat Marinade:
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp salt
Cornstarch Mixture:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
Have ready the ingredients needed: chopped green scallion, tofu cubes, mince meat, doubanjiang and fermented black bean.
Also chopped white scallion, chopped garlic and sichuan peppercorn.
After mincing meat, marinade with sesame oil and salt in a bowl. Then cut a block of silken white tofu into cubes. Lastly, make cornstarch mixture by combining cornstarch with water in a small bowl and set aside for later use.
Next boil some water in a saucepan and cook the tofu cubes for about one minute. Then drain well by straining through a large sieve. Set aside and we're ready to fry mapo tofu!
Heat vegetable oil on medium heat and fry marinated meat till just cooked. Remove meat from frying pan and set aside.
Heat up the same oil. Then add in doubanjiang and stir fry till aromatic. Then add in the chopped scallion, garlic, fermented black bean and ground sichuan pepper. Continue to stir fry till the spices aroma is released. Then add in water.
Once the water mixture comes to a boil, add the tofu and gently stir without mashing up the tofu. Then, add soy sauce and fried meat. Gently stir to ensure the tofu and meat are well mixed.
Bring the sauce mixture to a boil. Then turn heat to low and allow to simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Lastly swirl in the cornstarch solution in batches, gently stir until the sauce thickens. And we're done! Turn off heat and transfer the tofu mixture into a serving bowl.
Serve the Mapo Tofu immediately, warm over hot steamed rice and ENJOY!
