Mapo tofu

20 min · serves 3

Doubanjiang carries this dish and ordinary chilli sauce will not stand in for it. Nudge the tofu with the back of a spoon rather than stirring, or it breaks up.

Ingredients

• 400 g Silken tofu
• 150 g Minced pork
• 30 g Doubanjiang
• 15 g Fermented black beans
• 15 g Garlic
• 10 g Ginger
• 5 g Sichuan peppercorns
• 200 ml Stock or water
• 15 ml Soy sauce
• 10 g Tapioca starch
• 3 stalks Spring onion
• 30 ml Cooking oil

Method

1. Cut the tofu into 2 cm cubes, blanch them in salted water for 2 minutes and lift them out carefully to drain.
2. Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan for 1 minute until fragrant, then grind them to a powder.
3. Heat the oil and stir-fry the minced pork for about 3 minutes until it browns and renders its fat.
4. Lower the heat, add the doubanjiang, chopped black beans, garlic and ginger, and fry for 1 minute until the oil turns red.
5. Pour in the stock and soy sauce, bring to a boil, add the tofu and nudge it under the sauce with the back of a spoon.
6. Simmer for 4 minutes, slake the tapioca starch in cold water and add it in two goes, swirling the pan each time until the sauce thickens.
7. Turn off the heat and scatter over the ground Sichuan pepper and finely sliced spring onion.

Mapo tofu →