Mapo Tofu

2 person

China, Sichuan

easy

main

Preparation time	20 min.
Cook time	10 min.
Total time	30 min.

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Ingredients

Kitchen stuff

wok

knive

rice cooker

mortar

Description and preparation

Mapo Tofu is perhaps one of the most popular recipes from Sichuan province in China. It certainly is one of our favourites. The Sichuan chili bean paste (dòubàn jiàng, douban jiang, toban jang, etc.) and the sichuan peppers give this dish it's unique flavour which you do not often find in other dishes around the world. But beware, this dish can be pretty spicy! This dish is often served with pork or beef, but can be just as good if you make it vegetarian. Want to add some meat? Pan-fry 50 gram minced meat until crispy and add this to the dish with the tofu.

Preparation

Peel and chop up the garlic into tiny pieces. Chop up the ginger and cut the spring onion into small rings. Keep the the white and green parts of the spring onion separate.
Rinse the fermented black beans.
Heat up 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a frying pan (Use the wok, Luke!) on medium heat. Cook the ginger, garlic white parts of the spring onion and the fermented black beans for about 1 minute.
Add the dòubàn jiàng and cook for 1-2 minutes until the oil starts to seperate.
Cut the tofu into 1 centimeter blocks and bring it to a boil with 150 milliliter water.
Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons warm water until.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and stir until it thickens (about 30 seconds) and turn off the heat.
Grind the Sichuan pepper in a mortar until it is fine and scatter it over the dish together with the spring onion greens.
Serve immediately.

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