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a bowl of Mapo Tofu on some white rice next to a small plate of fermented black beans

Mapo Tofu Recipe

Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen
This dish from Sichuan China has become a favourite all over the world. It's spicy, addictive and full of flavour. I love it and I think you will too!
4 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 3 People

Equipment

  • 1 Deep Frying Pan or Wok
  • 1 Chopping Board
  • 1 Sharp Knife

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 500 g medium firm tofu
  • 200 g pork mince
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil (any flavourless oil will do)

Sauce

  • 1.5 tbsp chilli bean paste ("doubanjyang")
  • 2 tbsp fermented black beans ("douchi")
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
  • 2 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 2 tbsp chopped ginger
  • 3 spring onion
  • 150 ml chicken stock

Thickener

  • 1 tbsp corn flour
  • 2-3 tbsp water

Garnish

  • 0.5 tsp ground Sichuan pepper (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Bring a pot of water to a simmer and add a good pinch of salt. This step is for the tofu so add enough water so that the tofu will be submerged.
  • Cube the tofu into bite size pieces and put into the pot of water.
  • Finely chop the garlic and ginger.
  • Chop the spring onions into roughly 2cm long pieces.
  • Roughly chop 2 tbsp of fermented black beans.
  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the minced pork. Fry the minced pork until a golden brown.
  • Push the pork to the side of the pan, turn down the heat so that the paste doesn't burn and add chilli bean paste into the oil. Fry until fragrant and oil has turned red. 
  • Add the fermented black beans into the oil and fry until fragrant. 
  • Add the garlic, ginger and optional chilli flakes. Fry until fragrant. 
  • Add the spring onions and mix everything together in the pan and fry for roughly 1 min, continuously stirring.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tofu into the pan with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Add the chicken stock and gently nudge the cubes of tofu to submerge them into the sauce.
  • Let it gently bubble for 5-10 mins so that the tofu can soak up the sauce. 
  • Combine 1 heaped tbsp of potato starch and the 2-3 tbsp of water and drizzle into the pan. Fry for another minute, this will thicken up the sauce.
  • Add in the optional ground Sichuan peppercorns.
  • Salt to your tastes and serve.
Keyword Mapo Tofu