Equipment
Ingredients
Tofu and Sweetcorn
- 400 g silken tofu, diced into 2cm cubes
- 150 g sweetcorn kernels, drained if canned, or freshly cut from the cob
Aromatics and Base
- 100 g ground pork, raw
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 15 g garlic, finely minced
- 15 g ginger, finely minced
- 20 g scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
Sauce and Seasonings
- 40 g doubanjiang
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 200 ml chicken broth
- 2 g sichuan peppercorn powder
Thickener
- 15 g cornstarch
- 30 ml water, cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 256 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1677 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 19 mg
- Potassium
- 250 mg
- Calcium
- 96 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 95 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.26 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.13 mg
- Niacin
- 2.0 mg
- Folate
- 21 mcg
- Water
- 203 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the raw ground pork and stir-fry until browned and cooked through to a safe internal temperature of 74C/165F, about 3 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the doubanjiang, minced garlic, minced ginger, and the white parts of the sliced scallions to the wok. Sauté until the oil turns a deep red color and the aromatics are highly fragrant.
Pour in the chicken broth and light soy sauce. Stir in the sweetcorn kernels. Bring the mixture to a lively simmer.
Gently slide the diced silken tofu into the simmering sauce. Do not stir vigorously. Instead, use the back of your spatula to gently push the tofu cubes around to coat them in the sauce. Let it simmer uncovered for 4 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors.
Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir as it may have settled, then drizzle it evenly over the simmering dish. Push gently with the spatula until the sauce thickens and tightly clings to the tofu and corn.
Remove the wok from the heat. Transfer the mapo tofu to a serving dish and generously sprinkle the scallion greens and Sichuan peppercorn powder over the top before serving immediately.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve a true restaurant-quality sheen, fold in a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil right off the heat before plating.
- Freshly grinding whole Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle will yield a far more aromatic and potent numbing quality than pre-ground powder.
- If you have the time, blanching the diced tofu in hot, lightly salted water for 2 minutes before adding it to the wok will firm it up slightly and help it retain its shape.
- Sweetcorn is an unconventional but delightful addition to Mapo Tofu; its natural sugars provide a beautiful counterpoint to the fermented umami and spicy heat of the doubanjiang.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The tofu will release some water as it sits, which may thin the sauce.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave until thoroughly warmed to 74C/165F.
Troubleshooting
Tofu crumbles and turns into a mushy soup.
Cause: Stirring too aggressively or using a rigid spoon.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the flavor will still be excellent as a sauce over rice.
Prevention: Use the back of a wide spatula to gently push the ingredients from the edges of the wok towards the center.
Sauce is too thin and watery.
Cause: Not enough cornstarch, or the tofu released excess water during cooking.
Fix: Mix an additional 5g cornstarch with 10ml cold water and stir it into the simmering dish until thickened.
Prevention: Ensure the slurry is fully mixed before adding. Blanching tofu beforehand can also draw out moisture.
The dish is overwhelmingly salty or spicy.
Cause: Variation in doubanjiang brands, which can range wildly in sodium and heat levels.
Fix: Stir in a small pinch of sugar or an extra splash of unseasoned broth to dilute the intensity.
Prevention: Taste the sauce before adding the tofu, and adjust broth or sugar levels if necessary.
Cultural Context
Mapo Tofu originates from China's Sichuan province, traditionally celebrated for its intensely spicy and málà (numbing and spicy) flavor profile. While the classic dish strictly relies on fermented black beans, doubanjiang, minced meat, and tofu, the modern inclusion of sweetcorn adds a playful, localized twist that introduces a burst of contrasting sweetness to the fiery broth.
