Cook the Pork. While the tofu is blanching, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Cook the pork for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside. If you are a spicy food lover, Sichuan cooking is ideal for exploration. In fact, Sichuan cuisine is characterized by big, bold flavors with pungent spice, lots of spicy chili peppers and unique flavors. This particular dish is called Mapo Tofu, and I believe it may become one of your new favorites, even if you aren’t a fan of tofu. What is Mapo Tofu? Mapo Tofu is a Sichuan dish made with tofu and ground beef or pork simmered in a spicy sauce made from chili-bean paste and wonderful seasonings. You will find variations within the Sichuan region itself as well as other areas and Chinese restaurants that have adopted the dish, like Korean, Japan, and America. I personally love it for its spicy warmth and heavy use of Chinese doubanjiang, which always has a place in my kitchen. It’s so full of flavor and easy to work with. As mentioned, there are different ways to make it, but this is how I like to make mine, with some added heat and spicy factor. Let’s talk about how we make Mapo Tofu, shall we? Doubanjiang. Heat the remaining peanut oil in the pan or wok. Add the doubanjiang and stir. Cook for 1 minute. Cook the Vegetables. Add the hot peppers, green onions, garlic, ginger and Chinese 5 Spice (if using). Then, cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stock and Simmer. Stir in the the chicken stock and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Simmer the Tofu and Pork. Add the tofu cubes and reserved pork and simmer another 5 minutes or longer to let the flavors develop. I like to simmer 10 minutes or a bit longer. Boom! Done! Your mapo tofu dish is ready to serve. Looks delicious, doesn’t it? Sichuan cuisine as its finest. So nice and spicy, my friends! Everyone absolutely loves it. Garnish and Serve. Sprinkle with ground Sichuan peppercorns to taste, drizzle with sesame oil, and garnish with scallions and extra chili flakes. Finally, serve the mapo tofu over steamed rice, if desired. Sichuan pepper is unique and very flavorful. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Chinese mapo tofu recipe. Also, let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy! Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Easy Chinese Cookbook, Restaurant Favorites Made Simple, by Chris Toy Essential Wok Cookbook, by Naomi Imatome-Yum
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Mongolian Beef Szechuan Chicken with Homemade Szechuan Sauce Szechuan Beef Drunken Noodles Chinese Pepper Steak Cashew Chicken Spicy Chicken Fried Rice Spicy Ramen Noodles Dan Dan Noodles Teriyaki Shrimp Stir Fry Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans Recipe (Ganbian Sijidou) Shuizhu Yu (Boiled Fish In A Seething Sea Of Chilies)
