The first time I had Mapo Tofu, I was in my own kitchen, experimenting.
As I tasted, I froze, basking in this one-of-a-kind peppery and spicy taste. I remember thinking : I-do-not understand the reasoning of most Chinese restaurants in France. How crazy they almost never sell this dish ! It would be an absolute banger –rich, comforting, with a generous pork sauce made extra cozy with the added soft tofu texture ; and at the same time, you get a slap in the face from the added peppercorns and chilies.
My companion went on and on about it for days. Everytime I talk about making Mapo Tofu, it is the main event in the house -though I have to limit it so we don’t become walking donuts.
I tried to craft a recipe that is as quick (30 minutes ! Yes !!) as it is authentic, centered around the traditional recipe that goes back to Chen Mapo, the wife of a restaurant’s owner. “Ma” (麻) means pockmarked, referring to her facial scars, and “Po” (婆) means old woman or grandmother. So, “Mapo” roughly translates to “pockmarked old woman”, a nickname locals gave her.
Madame Chen was known for her flavorful and spicy tofu dish, which she served to laborers, especially those working along the Jinjiang River, in Chengdu. The dish became locally famous for its:
ChatGPT a dit Mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐) is a classic Sichuan (Szechuan) dish with deep cultural and culinary roots in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, China. Its origins date back to the late 19th century (Qing Dynasty) and are closely associated with a small restaurant called Chen Xingsheng Restaurant.
Málà (麻辣) flavor: a distinctive combination of numbing (má) from Sichuan peppercorns and spicy (là) from chili oil
Soft tofu: offering a smooth contrast to the bold, oily sauce
Minced beef or pork: though beef is more traditional in Sichuan
Fermented black beans (dòuchǐ 豆豉) and doubanjiang (豆瓣酱): fermented bean-based ingredients, that give the dish its signature depth.
I know the red color might seem impressive, but Mapo Tofu does not have to be crazy spicy. The doubanjiang paste, that is the core of this recipe, is quite mild ; the added heat comes from the red chilies used, so it is all a matter of adjustment.
Easy Mapo Tofu – Recipe
Ingredients – Advice & key points
- I used pork here, but you can definitely use beef instead, which is a popular choice in the Szechuan region.
- Only 3 ingredients will require a trip to the Asian store, but they are usually easy to find :
- Doubanjiang, or Toban Jan : spicy, salty paste made from fermented beans and soybeans, salt, rice and various spices. I usually go for the Lee Kum Kee Toban Djan brand.
- Dòuchǐ: a type of fermented and salted black soybean, prized for its deep, savory umami flavor. Either choose the dry kind, or the one preserved in oil -but in such case, remove as much of the salty oil as possible before adding to your dish.
- Shaoxing rice wine : one of the essentials of your Chinese pantry ! This one is darker than your classic rice cooking wine, and has a more complex taste.
- If you cannot find Douchi, simply replace it with 1 extra tablespoon of Doubanjiang. This is how I made it the first time and, although less authentic, it was absolutely just as delicious.
- If you don’t own a seasoned carbon-steel wok and only have a nonstick wok or nonstick pan, it’s OK. You’ll just have to preheat it well for a few minutes ; also use 1/2 the amount of oil indicated ; and cook the ingredients a bit longer.
- The recipe is spicy, but not crazy spicy.
- If you’re shy on chilies, remove the fresh one;
- If you’re big on chilies, add one more !
Let’s wok it up!
Easy Mapo Tofu (Spicy tofu and meat sauce)
Description
A 30-minutes Szechuan delight, far punchier than your usual takeout.
Ingredients
For the cornstarch slurry
Instructions
Prep your ingredients
Mince your garlic & ginger, your scallions (green part only), your Douchi.
Ground your Sichuan pepper.
Mix your cornstarch with water.
Get your chicken broth ready.
Start cooking
Launch your rice.
Add oil to your wok and put it over medium-high heat.
Fry the ground pork a few minutes until no longer pink.
Aromatics time
Lower the heat. Add ginger, garlic and chilies. Let it toast 3 minutes over medium heat.
Add the Sichuan peppercorns, powdered ; stir around 20 seconds, careful not to let it burn.
Add the Doubanjiang & Douchi. Stir, and let it cook 1mn.
Add soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine. Stir.
Add the chicken broth. Let it blend in 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, cube your tofu.
Finish it
Add your cornstarch slurry progressively : stir. Let it cook until it starts to thicken.
Add your cubed tofu. Let it cook for 3mn.
Add sesame oil and sugar.
Serve!
Serve your mapo tofu topped with scallions, and along rice.
Et voilà!! You're done!