Mapo Tofu | Ultimate Rice Companion Dish
Mapo Tofu | Super Addictive Rice-Friendly Side Dish
Steeped in a century of culinary craftsmanship, this authentic Sichuan dish adheres to the time-honored 8-character standard of numbing, spicy, hot, fragrant, crispy, tender, fresh, and vibrant.
It pairs silky tender tofu with crispy, savory minced beef, seasoned with authentic Pixian doubanjiang and Hanyuan Sichuan peppercorns, and stir-fried over high heat for a glossy red oil finish and rich, inviting aroma.
The first bite delivers a burst of hot, savory flavor, followed by layered numbing and spicy notes: the tofu stays tender without falling apart, the minced beef is crispy without being dry, with a complex, lingering aftertaste. One spoonful brings a gentle numbing tingle to the tongue, leaves a fragrant taste on the lips and teeth, is spicy without being drying, and hot without burning, fully capturing the soul of Sichuan cuisine.
Serve with a bowl of white rice: the red oil seeps into the rice for a long, rich flavor that embodies the warmth of everyday street life, and stands as the ultimate comforting home-style dish.
Mapo Tofu is more than just a dish — it is the crystallization of Sichuan people's passion and culinary wisdom.
Ingredients
tofu
1 block
ground meat
200g
scallions
2 stalks
Pixian doubanjiang (broad bean & chili paste)
2 tbsp
garlic
5 cloves
dried chili peppers
5
Thai bird's eye chilies
2
soy sauce
1 tbsp
oyster sauce
1 tbsp
fermented black beans
1 tbsp
Sichuan peppercorn powder
a pinch
cornstarch
1 tbsp
Instructions
1
Step 1
A perfect balance of color, aroma, and flavor—an unbeatable dish to serve over rice
2
Step 2
Cut the tofu into cubes; prepare the ground meat
3
Step 3
Scallions, garlic, fermented black beans, and dried chili peppers
4
Step 4
Bring water to a boil with salt and oil; blanch the tofu for 2 minutes
5
Step 5
First, stir-fry the ground meat until the moisture cooks off, then set it aside
6
Step 6
Heat oil in the wok, add the aromatics and stir-fry until fragrant. Add thirteen-spice, then add the Pixian doubanjiang and stir-fry until the red oil releases
7
Step 7
Add the ground meat back in, continue stir-frying, then add soy sauce
8
Step 8
Pour in an appropriate amount of hot water and add the oyster sauce
9
Step 9
Add the tofu and simmer gently for 5 minutes
10
Step 10
Season with chicken essence and matsutake seasoning
11
Step 11
Reduce the sauce over high heat; add the first cornstarch slurry
12
Step 12
Add the second cornstarch slurry
13
Step 13
Top with chopped scallions, Thai bird's eye chilies, and Sichuan peppercorn powder
14
Step 14
Dig in!
