Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 400 g soft tofu, drained and cut into 2cm cubes
- 150 g ground pork, raw
Aromatics
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1 ginger, minced
- 2 scallion, chopped, white and green parts separated
- 2 g sichuan peppercorn powder
Sauce and Seasonings
- 30 g doubanjiang
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 150 ml chicken broth
- 5 g sugar
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
Slurry
- 10 g cornstarch
- 15 ml water, cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 219 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 656 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 28 mg
- Potassium
- 306 mg
- Calcium
- 134 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 44 mg
- Phosphorus
- 186 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.35 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 2.5 mg
- Folate
- 51 mcg
- Water
- 165 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef knife and cutting board, carefully cut the drained soft tofu into 2cm cubes.
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water, stirring until completely dissolved to create a slurry.
Heat the wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until browned, crispy, and cooked through, ensuring the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 74°C/165°F.
Push the pork to one side of the wok. Add the doubanjiang, minced garlic, minced ginger, and the white parts of the chopped scallions to the center. Cook until the oil turns red and highly fragrant.
Pour the Shaoxing wine around the edges of the wok to deglaze, then stir everything together with the light soy sauce, sugar, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a rapid bubble.
Gently slide the tofu cubes into the bubbling sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook undisturbed so the tofu absorbs the flavors without breaking apart.
Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir to recombine, then pour it evenly over the tofu. Gently swirl the wok or push the ingredients with the back of the spatula until the sauce becomes thick and glossy.
Remove the wok from the heat. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the dish, and scatter the green parts of the scallions and the Sichuan peppercorn powder evenly across the top before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the most authentic numbing sensation, purchase whole Sichuan peppercorns, toast them in a dry pan until fragrant, and grind them fresh in a mortar and pestle just before using.
- Soft or silken tofu is traditional because it provides a luxurious texture contrast to the crispy ground pork. If you struggle with breaking soft tofu, medium-firm tofu is an acceptable alternative for beginners.
- The quality of your doubanjiang dictates the success of this dish. Look specifically for Pixian doubanjiang at an Asian market, which has a deeper, more complex, and heavily fermented umami profile compared to standard supermarket chili pastes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Tofu may release some water upon sitting.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power for 2 to 3 minutes, or simmer gently on the stovetop until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Tofu crumbles and turns into mush
Cause: Stirring too aggressively or using a sharp-edged utensil
Fix: Cannot be fixed aesthetically, but the flavor will remain excellent
Prevention: Use the rounded back of a spatula or a ladle to gently push the food forward rather than folding or aggressively stirring
Sauce is too thin and watery after adding slurry
Cause: Tofu released excess water during simmering, diluting the sauce
Fix: Mix an additional 5g of cornstarch with 5ml of cold water and gently stir it into the boiling sauce until thickened
Prevention: Ensure tofu is thoroughly drained before use, or simmer the sauce slightly longer before adding the thickener
Dish tastes flat and lacks savory depth
Cause: Doubanjiang was not fried long enough in the oil to release its flavors
Fix: Add a splash more soy sauce or a pinch of MSG, but the deep roasted chili flavor cannot be fully replicated after liquids are added
Prevention: Always fry the chili bean paste until the surrounding oil turns bright red before adding any liquid
Cultural Context
Mapo Tofu originated in Chengdu, the capital of China's Sichuan province, during the late Qing Dynasty. Legend suggests it was created by an older, pockmarked woman named Mrs. Chen who operated a small eatery catering to laborers and travelers. The dish perfectly embodies the hallmark málà (numbing and spicy) flavor profile of Sichuan cuisine.
