Mapo Doufu (麻婆豆腐)

My first offering from Pei-Mei's cookbook is Mapo doufu (tofu), one of the most iconic dishes of Sichuan province in western China. It is also one of the more popular Chinese dishes in general, and I ate it with some frequency in Shanghai. My grandparents also made a less spicy version of the dish quite often. The dish is, essentially, tofu and ground meat with a spicy sauce. The word mapo refers to a pockmarked old woman who, according to folklore, invented the dish. I enjoyed making (and eating) this dish, and it reminds me that I really should feature tofu more often on this blog.

As with some of my previous Chinese recipes, it is necessary to discuss some of the more exotic ingredients used. This dish uses two. The first is "hot bean paste," a Sichuan specialty that combines fermented beans and various spices. In Chinese, it is called la dou ban jiang (辣豆瓣酱). The best way to make sure you have the right Chinese product is to compare the actual Chinese words on the can or jar with what you're looking for (incidentally, I also recently used this technique to order dimsum). The second ingredient is Sichuan pepper, sometimes called brown pepper. This spice gives the dish a distinct aroma. I was able to find both of these at the local Chinese grocery.

Hot bean paste and Sichuan pepper powder

Ingredients

• 2 packages extra-firm tofu, 400 grams (14 oz) each
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs Hot bean paste
• 2 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 2 tsp water
• 1 tsp Sichuan pepper powder
• 1 Tbs green onion, chopped
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Tofu is packaged with water, and the more you can get out of it before cutting, the better. Slice the tofu into small cubes, about 3/4 inch a side. I cut each big slab into 8 long rods and then each of these into 6 pieces, for a total of 48 cubes. Heat some oil in a wok on high heat, enough to coat the surface. Add the tofu and stir fry for a few minutes. Remove the tofu and set aside.

Full tofu slab and cut-up cubes

Adding more oil as needed, fry the pork. As the pork begins to brown, add the minced garlic. Once the pork is browned, add the hot bean paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken broth, and the previously cooked tofu. Boil the whole mixture for three minutes, which will reduce the liquid.

Mix the corn starch and water into a paste, and stir this into the mixture. Stir in the Sichuan pepper powder, and transfer everything into a serving dish. Finally, sprinkle the green onion on top. Serve with white rice.

Notes

I made a few changes from Pei-Mei's original recipe. She recommends deep frying the tofu rather than stir frying at the beginning. I did not think it necessary to use so much oil, and I also don't think this changed compromised the dish in any way, since the sauce is so strongly flavored anyway. The original recipe also includes 2 tsp salt. I did follow this, and the dish was too salty. As such, I don't recommend this, and have omitted it from the ingredients list. If in doubt, taste at the end and then make the decision. Finally, I doubled the amount of pork, and since this was intended as a main dish, I liked the proportion.

My version of mapo doufu ended up being a little spicy, but not overwhelming at all. The brand of hot bean paste you happen to get will be the determining factor, but you can also crank up the heat by adding chili oil, as recommended by Pei-Mei.