Mapo Tofu

Name: Mapo Tofu
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Ingredients: 4 or 5 dried shiitake mushrooms; Kosher salt; 16 oz (450 grams) firm tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes; 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, whole; 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; 1 tbsp potato starch; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 5 dried red chiles, cut into 3/4-inch segments and seeds shaken out; 1 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger; 1 tbsp fermented black beans, coarsely chopped; 2.5 tbsp Sichuan chili bean paste; 1 tsp chili flakes or ground Sichaun chile; 1 cup unsalted vegetable stock or water; 1/2 tsp sugar; 2 scallion, green parts only, thinly sliced, for garnish; 1/2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns

8 steps

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 02:56:40 GMT

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Ingredients

4 servings

4dried shiitake mushrooms

kosher salt

16 ozfirm tofu

cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 tspSichuan peppercorns

whole

1 tablespoonfresh garlic

minced

1 teaspoonsoy sauce

1 Tbsppotato starch

3 Tbspvegetable oil

5dried red chiles

cut into 3/4-inch segments and seeds shaken out

1 Tbspfresh ginger

peeled and minced

1 Tbspblack beans

fermented, coarsely chopped

2 ½ TbspSichuan chili bean paste

1 tspchili flakes

or ground Sichaun chile

1 cupunsalted vegetable stock

or water

½ tspsugar

2scallion

green parts only, thinly sliced, for garnish

½ tspground Sichuan peppercorns

Instructions

Step 1

Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes to rehydrate, then drain, stem, and finely chop them.

dried shiitake mushrooms4

Step 2

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the tofu cubes, and simmer gently for 10 minutes to refresh the tofu's flavors and firm it up.

kosher salt

firm tofu16 oz

Step 3

Make a slurry by combining the starch with ¼ cup cold water in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and set aside.

potato starch1 Tbsp

Step 4

Heat a wok over medium heat until a bead of water evaporates immediately upon contact. Add the oil, swirling to the coat sides of the wok. Reduce the heat to low. Add the whole Sichuan peppercorns and dried chiles and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes to infuse the oil with flavor, until the chiles are slightly darkened in color and aromatic. Do not burn them. Remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the spices, leaving behind the aromatic oil.

Sichuan peppercorns2 tsp

vegetable oil3 Tbsp

dried red chiles5

Step 5

Return the wok to medium-high heat and add the mushrooms, ginger, and garlic. Fry for 1 minute, until the mushrooms are beginning to brown. Scoot them up one side of the wok.

dried shiitake mushrooms4

fresh garlic1 tablespoon

fresh ginger1 Tbsp

Step 6

Add the fermented black beans, chili bean paste, and ground chile and stir-fry briefly for 10 seconds to release their fragrance. Pour in the stock, then add sugar and soy sauce. Bring the liquid to a boil.

soy sauce1 teaspoon

black beans1 Tbsp

Sichuan chili bean paste2 ½ Tbsp

chili flakes1 tsp

unsalted vegetable stock1 cup

sugar½ tsp

Step 7

Lift the tofu cubes from the hot water with a slotted spoon and place them gently in the wok. To keep them from breaking, don't stir; instead, move the wok in a swirling motion, shifting the sauce as it bubbles under the tofu. Bring to a full boil.

Step 8

Give the starch slurry a stir and drizzle about a third of it into the wok, swirling the wok gently to mix in the slurry as the liquid thickens. Repeat this two more times, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the tofu, then remove the wok from the heat and transfer everything to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the scallions and the ground peppercorns (these provide the tingly mouthfeel) and serve.