Equipment
Ingredients
Tofu Preparation
- 400 g silken tofu, cut into 2cm cubes
- 5 g salt
Aromatics and Meat
- 30 ml cooking oil
- 100 g minced pork
- 30 g pixian doubanjiang, finely chopped
- 10 g fermented black beans, rinsed and lightly crushed
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 10 g ginger, minced
Sauce and Finish
- 200 ml chicken broth
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 10 ml light soy sauce
- 10 g cornstarch
- 2 g sichuan peppercorn powder, freshly ground
- 20 g scallions, thinly sliced, green parts only
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 232 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 1469 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 19 mg
- Potassium
- 294 mg
- Calcium
- 106 mg
- Iron
- 2.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 15 mg
- Phosphorus
- 132 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 108 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 2.3 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 162 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a gentle simmer at 90°C/194°F and dissolve the salt. Carefully slide the cubed silken tofu into the water and blanch for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the tofu sit in the hot water.
Heat a wok over medium heat. Add the cooking oil, then add the minced pork. Sauté the pork, breaking it up with a spatula, until it is deeply browned, crispy, and the fat has completely rendered.
Push the crisped pork to one side of the wok. Add the chopped Pixian doubanjiang to the pooled oil on the other side. Fry gently over low heat until the oil turns a vibrant red color and releases a deeply savory, spicy aroma.
Add the minced garlic, ginger, and fermented black beans to the wok. Stir everything together with the pork and doubanjiang, cooking until highly aromatic.
Pour the Shaoxing wine down the side of the wok to deglaze. Stir in the chicken broth and light soy sauce. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil at 100°C/212°F.
Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift the blanched tofu from the hot water and slide it into the boiling sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer. Do not stir aggressively; instead, use the back of your spatula to gently push the tofu from the edges to the center.
Stir the cornstarch and cold water together to ensure there are no lumps. Drizzle one-third of the slurry into the wok while gently swirling the pan. Wait 30 seconds for it to thicken, then repeat twice more until the sauce perfectly coats the back of a spoon and clings to the tofu.
Transfer the finished dish to a shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle the top generously with freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn powder and the sliced scallions. Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting whole Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan until fragrant before grinding them yourself yields a vastly superior numbing ma-la experience compared to pre-ground powder.
- The process of frying the doubanjiang (chili bean paste) until the oil turns red is known as 'hong you'. It is essential to do this over low heat so the paste does not burn and turn bitter.
- Blanching the tofu in salted water achieves two things: it seasons the interior of the tofu, and it draws out excess moisture so it does not dilute your final sauce.
- The traditional method for adding the cornstarch slurry is strictly in three stages. This step-wise thickening creates a sauce that hugs the tofu rather than sliding right off it.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen overnight.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power or gently simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Tofu breaks into a mushy paste
Cause: Stirring too aggressively with the edge of the spatula instead of pushing
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Use the back of the spatula to gently push the bottom of the wok, moving the sauce around the tofu.
Sauce is watery and separates from the tofu
Cause: Insufficient cornstarch or tofu released too much water during simmering
Fix: Add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with cold water and simmer for 1 more minute.
Prevention: Blanch the tofu properly first and ensure the three-stage slurry method is followed.
Sauce is overwhelmingly salty
Cause: Pixian doubanjiang and fermented black beans vary heavily in salt content
Fix: Add a pinch of sugar and a splash of unsalted chicken broth to dilute the salinity.
Prevention: Taste the sauce before adding the light soy sauce and adjust accordingly.
Cultural Context
Originating from Chengdu in the late Qing Dynasty, Mapo Tofu translates roughly to 'pockmarked grandma's tofu', reportedly named after the creator, Mrs. Chen. The dish is the quintessential expression of Sichuan cuisine's signature 'ma-la' flavor profile, balancing fiery chili heat (la) with the unique, tingling numbness (ma) of Sichuan peppercorns.
