Weeknight Mapo tofu is a one dish wonder! Tofu with ground pork and green onions in a dark bean and garlic sauce with Sichuan pepper has bona fide flavor, however improved on barely enough so you can make it any evening of the week without trading off that one of a kind character.
I think what I love most about mapo tofu, other than the mind blowing lavishly enhanced sauce, is the way that it joins meat and tofu. It’s a flexitarian’s fantasy feast, with heaps of sound plant protein complemented with meat for flavor and surface. The mix of the delicate tofu, the hot sauce, and the caramelized granules of ground pork is truly exceptional, yet while this supper tastes complex, it’s absolutely feasible on a weeknight.
In case you’re here you presumably like Chinese food, so you may as of now have the greater part of these fixings at home. If not, don’t stop for a second to load up, the flavors and sauces keep well and will be utilized frequently in various kinds of Asian plans.
You needn’t bother with a wok for this dinner, indeed I incline toward an enormous level braising dish or Dutch stove with a top. I like to utilize an elastic or silicone spatula for rearranging the tofu around tenderly so it doesn’t self-destruct. It functions admirably for separating the pork as it cooks, as well.
Ingredients
- 28 ounces (two 14 ounce packages) extra firm tofu
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3-4 Tbsp of black bean sauce (more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp Tamari soy sauce
- 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tsp 5 spice powder
- 2 tsp chili oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 bunch scallions, about 10. Add more if you like.
- 2 Tbsp rice wine or mirin
Instructions
- Drain and slice the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, then add one cup water and stir well, set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok, large skillet, or Dutch oven. Add the black bean sauce, soy sauce, Sichuan pepper, 5 spice powder, chili oil, and sugar. Saute, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes.
- Add the ground pork to the pan and saute until thoroughly cooked, breaking up the meat with your spatula as it cooks.
- You want the meat to be broken down as much as possible, so keep at it the whole time. It should look finely textured, like the photo.
- Add the scallions and cook briefly to soften them.
- Deglaze the pan with the rice wine and let bubble for a minute. Give the cornstarch water a good stir and add to the pan. Bring the pot up to a summer, stirring almost constantly. Note: take this opportunity, before the tofu goes in, to taste the sauce. Adjust it with extra spices if you like. If you find it too spicy, add a little more sugar.
- Carefully add the tofu to the pan, covering the whole surface evenly. Don’t stir in. Bring back to a simmer, then cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, on a low heat. Note: make sure the pot is at a low simmer, and adjust heat accordingly. You don’t want it to boil furiously.
- Remove the cover, and shake the pan, shimmying it so that the tofu settles into the sauce. I do this so I don’t risk breaking up the tofu by stirring. Let cook gently, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes more until the tofu is nice and hot.
- Garnish with more sliced scallions and serve as is, over with rice.
notes and variations
variations
If you like you can add fresh grated garlic and ginger to the pan in step 1.
Nutrition
Calories: 330kcal
Carbohydrates: 6g
Protein: 24g
Fat: 23g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 54mg
Sodium: 569mg
Potassium: 449mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 3g
Vitamin A: 47IU
Vitamin C: 1mg
Calcium: 61mg
Iron: 3mg
