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This flavor-packed mapo tofu turns basic tofu into a mouthwatering meal that's better than takeout. The velvety tofu swimming in a bold, fiery sauce brings together amazing textures and tastes that'll knock out your Chinese food cravings without emptying your wallet.
I whipped up this dish one night when I wanted real Chinese food but felt too lazy to go out. My folks weren't sure about tofu at first, but now they bug me to make this every week because it's just that tasty.
Ingredients
- Soft tofu: Delivers that smooth feel that soaks up all the goodness while staying tender all the way through
- Ground pork: Brings meaty flavor and body; grab the 80/20 mix for the tastiest results
- Doubanjiang: Adds real-deal punch and heat; you'll find the best stuff at Asian grocery stores
- Sichuan peppercorns: Create that weird tingly feeling your mouth that makes true mapo tofu so special
- Chicken stock: Makes a tastier base than plain water for building deep flavors
- Cornstarch: Gets the sauce just right so it sticks perfectly to the tofu
- Sesame oil: Adds a nutty finishing touch that pulls everything together; the toasted kind works best
- Scallions: Cut through the rich sauce with freshness; keep the white and green parts separate when cooking
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix up the cornstarch:
- Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water in a little bowl until it's totally smooth. Put it aside for later when we need to make the sauce thicker.
- Cut and quick-boil the tofu:
- Slice tofu into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife using soft movements so it doesn't fall apart. Get some salted water boiling in a pot and drop in the tofu bits. Let them sit for just 1 minute. This makes the outside firmer but keeps the inside super soft. Drain them carefully but don't rinse them off.
- Brown the meat:
- Get some vegetable oil hot in a big non-stick pan. Throw in the ground pork and cook it for 4–5 minutes, breaking it up as you go until there's no pink left and it's a bit browned. Cook until any water has bubbled away to make the flavor stronger.
- Throw in the flavor makers:
- Drop in the chopped garlic, ginger, and white parts of the scallions with the meat and keep stirring for half a minute until you can really smell them. Don't let the garlic burn. Add the doubanjiang, chili oil, dark soy sauce, chicken powder, sugar, and Sichuan peppercorns if you're using them. These stuff makes the dish taste amazing.
- Make it saucy:
- Pour in the chicken broth and mix everything up. Let it start to bubble, then pour in the cornstarch mix while you keep stirring. Let the sauce bubble gently for a minute or two until it gets thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Add the tofu:
- Carefully put the tofu cubes into the sauce. Instead of stirring, use a gentle lifting motion to coat the tofu with sauce from the bottom of the pan so the cubes don't break. Let it bubble quietly for 2 minutes so the tofu can soak up all the flavors.
- Top it off and eat:
- Sprinkle some sesame oil over everything and scatter the green parts of the scallions on top. Eat it right away with some rice to soak up all that yummy sauce.
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That doubanjiang bean paste really makes this dish shine. I tried making mapo tofu without it once and my Chinese neighbor couldn't stop giggling, saying it was like making pasta without tomato sauce. Now I always keep a jar in my fridge and wouldn't dream of skipping it.
Picking Your Tofu
The tofu you grab totally changes how this dish turns out. Real mapo tofu needs soft or silken tofu for that melt-in-your-mouth feeling. But if you want something that stays together better, medium firm tofu works great too. Just be gentle with it while cooking, no matter which kind you use. When you're shopping, pick tofu that smells fresh and stay away from packages with too much water or yellow spots, which means it's old.
Spice Level Adjustments
The best thing about making mapo tofu at home is you can make it as hot or mild as you want. For a kid-friendly version or if you can't handle heat, just use 1 teaspoon of doubanjiang and skip the chili oil altogether. If you love things super spicy, throw in a teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of chili crisp at the end. Those Sichuan peppercorns don't make things hot but they do make your mouth feel tingly and numb, so add them based on whether you like that weird but cool sensation.
Authentic Variations
The classic Sichuan mapo tofu usually has beef instead of pork and often includes fermented black beans for extra flavor. Some areas add mushrooms for an earthy taste or double up on doubanjiang for more kick. Vegetarians often swap the meat for finely chopped shiitake mushrooms or crumbled firm tofu that feels kind of like ground meat. Every family in China does this dish their own way, so feel free to play around and make it how you like it.
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Serving Suggestions
White rice is the go-to partner for mapo tofu, but you can try brown rice for extra nutrients or cauliflower rice if you're watching carbs. To make it a full meal, add some simple stir-fried veggies like bok choy or Chinese broccoli to balance out the rich flavors. Many Chinese families serve mapo tofu as just one of several dishes, with cold starters, soups, and other mains all shared around the table for everyone to enjoy together.
FAQs About the Recipe
- → Can I use firm tofu instead of soft tofu?
You can definitely swap in medium-firm tofu, though soft tofu gives you that classic Mapo Tofu feel most people love.
- → What can I use instead of ground pork?
Ground chicken or beef make great stand-ins for pork in this recipe.
- → How spicy is this dish?
It's got a medium kick from the doubanjiang and chili oil, but you can turn it up or down by changing how much of these you add.
- → Can I make this dish vegetarian?
For sure! Swap out meat for diced mushrooms or veggie ground meat, and go with veggie stock instead of chicken stock.
- → What's the purpose of blanching tofu?
Blanching gets rid of that raw tofu taste, makes it a bit firmer, and lets it soak up more of your yummy sauce.