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Finished and plated dish: Authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu
Fotografía del plato terminado: Authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu
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Authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu

Por Álvaro (RecetAI)•Actualizada recientemente
Sichuan, China
Crazy with Chopsticks, A Thousand and One Spices, Slow Cooked
High ProteinDairy-FreeTraditional
  • 4
    servings
  • 497 kcal/serving
  • avanzado

Ingredients

Still life with the fresh ingredients needed for the recipe

  • Silken Tofu

    400 g

  • Minced meat (beef or fatty pork)

    100 g

  • Doubanjiang (Pixian spicy fermented broad bean paste)

    2 units

  • Douchi (fermented black beans)

    1 unit

  • Toasted Sichuan Chili Powder

    1 unit

  • Whole Sichuan Peppercorns

    1 unit

  • Minced garlic cloves

    3 units

  • Fresh minced ginger

    1 unit

  • Dark chicken broth (or vegetable umami broth)

    200 ml

  • Light soy sauce

    1 unit

  • Neutral vegetable oil

    3 units

  • Cornstarch diluted in water

    2 units

  • Green onions (green part only, thinly sliced)

    2 units

Utensils needed

    About this recipe

    Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is a fundamental pillar of Sichuan cuisine, originating from Chengdu in the late 19th century.

    Its name honors its supposed creator, a grandmother with pockmarks ('ma po').

    The true essence of this dish is not extreme heat, but the characteristic 'málà' (numbing and spicy) effect achieved by combining fermented broad bean paste (doubanjiang) with the essential Sichuan peppercorn powder.

    This traditional version uses silken tofu, which must be blanched first to strengthen its structure, and a touch of minced meat fried until crispy, creating a deep, umami-rich red sauce.

    Instructions

    1
    Step 1

    Step 1

    Cut the silken tofu into 2-centimeter cubes. Prepare a pot of boiling water and add half a teaspoon of salt. Carefully lower the tofu cubes into the water and let them poach over very low heat for 3 minutes. Remove with a spider skimmer and keep them warm in a bowl. This initial thermal bath extracts the raw soy flavor and induces a peripheral coagulation that prevents the tofu from breaking easily later.
    2
    Step 2

    Step 2

    Toast the whole Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok over medium-low heat until fragrant and slightly smoking (about a minute). Transfer to a mortar, let them cool, and grind into a fine powder. Reserve half for cooking and the other half for sprinkling on top when serving.
    3
    Step 3

    Step 3

    Heat the vegetable oil in the wok over high heat. Add the minced meat and stir-fry. Keep stirring quickly until the meat loses all its red color, turns dark brown and almost crispy, and begins to render its own fat, bubbling the oil. Lower the heat to a minimum immediately after.
    4
    Step 4

    Step 4

    Lower the heat. In the center of the wok, over the rendered oil and the meat, add the doubanjiang paste, the minced garlic and ginger, along with the black douchi beans. Sauté this very slowly so the oil infuses with all the compounds and takes on a bright, deep garnet red hue. Stir in the Sichuan chili powder and half of your freshly ground Sichuan pepper.
    5
    Step 5

    Step 5

    Pour the hot broth and light soy sauce over the red base in the wok and stir gently. As soon as it comes to a vigorous boil, carefully add the reserved blanched tofu cubes. Instead of aggressively stirring with the spatula, push with the back of a Chinese spatula from the edges of the wok towards the center. Let it gently boil for 4 minutes to absorb the spicy flavor.
    6
    Step 6

    Step 6

    Prepare the cornstarch mixture by dissolving it in cold water. Intermittently pour this mixture into the pot in 3 different stages, waiting 10 to 20 seconds and pushing the wok in a circular motion in between to ensure the sauce acquires a silky, glossy sheer resembling a glaze. Serve immediately by pouring directly onto your serving dish.

    Your culinary masterpiece is ready to enjoy!

    Share your version and surprise your guests with art and flavor.

    Celebración cómica y surrealista de Authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu, con ingredientes: Silken Tofu, Minced meat (beef or fatty pork), Doubanjiang (Pixian spicy fermented broad bean paste), Douchi (fermented black beans), Toasted Sichuan Chili Powder.

    Composición final humorística de Authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu con Silken Tofu, Minced meat (beef or fatty pork), Doubanjiang (Pixian spicy fermented broad bean paste), Douchi (fermented black beans), Toasted Sichuan Chili Powder
    Imagen final de la receta Authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu, ingredientes: Silken Tofu, Minced meat (beef or fatty pork), Doubanjiang (Pixian spicy fermented broad bean paste), Douchi (fermented black beans), Toasted Sichuan Chili Powder

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