Mapo Tofu

Mapo tofu (doufu) is a well known Chinese dish from the Sichuan province, which is known for its spicy foods. The recipe largely consists of pork and tofu, with many aromatics including chili bean paste and Sichuan peppercorns, which give the dish a slightly tingly/numbing heat.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
• 4 green onions, minced with white part and green part kept separate
• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans, chopped
  • Black bean paste from a bottle also works if you can't find fermented black beans
• 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 2 teaspoons doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
• 1 14oz block of soft tofu, drained and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

Directions

1. Combine the chicken broth, corn starch, soy sauce, and sugar to make a sauce. Set aside for now.
2. Heat a wok on high heat until hot. Add the sesame oil, followed by the garlic, ginger, and the white part of the green onions. Stir fry until fragrant.
3. Add the black beans and Sichuan peppercorn, and continue stir frying.
4. Add the ground pork and stir fry until cooked, making sure to break up any large pieces.
5. Add the doubanjiang and stir until combined.
6. Add the tofu. If you can, try to toss to combine, to avoid breaking up the tofu. If not, just stir as gently as you can.
7. Stir the sauce in case it's settled, then add it to the wok. Toss or stir gently to cover the pork and tofu, and let boil until the sauce thickens.
8. Turn off the heat, and garnish with the green part of the green onions. I like to stir half of it into the dish and reserve the rest for garnishing on top. Serve over rice.