Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)

This Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is such a comfort dish that you can’t get enough of. Mapo tofu is one of the popular Chinese dishes originating from Sichuan province. It is famous for its spicy “numbing” effect covering the silky-smooth tofu and savory juicy ground pork. However, in my recipe below, I am ‘taming’ the “numbing” effect down, so that my kids can enjoy it as well. Also, I usually use soft tofu because of the silky texture. However, any tofu will do – medium firm or firm – whichever your preferences are.

Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is also easy to pair with other dishes. The best one is to add it up on top of a fluffy steamed rice or boiled noodle, then you will have a hearty delicious meal ready. You can also pair up with other vegetables such as this stir fry vegetables, fritters, and so on – you got the idea. Oh, if you are vegetarian, you can easily omit the ground pork, it will still make a delicious meal. Let’s get cooking, shall we?

On a separate note, as you can see in the picture, I just got my Ms. PiggyOut clay figurine from lizzie.jungle. Isn’t she lovely? As an added plus, she also made BT21 Tata for me. Yay~ Check out her other creations – lizzie.jungle is a polymer clay artist that make figurines, wine stoppers, pin cushions and many more. Oh, if you request, she might be able to make a customized clay figurine for you.

Tools I used:

• Nonstick skillet – Easy to clean, heat-up evenly, and, the best part, it is non-stick. Great tool to have for stir-frying, making omelet, and much more.

Tip: For the spice lover out there, you can add one or two more tablespoons of laoganma for an extra kick. Also, you can use firmer tofu. My family loves soft tofu better in mapo tofu, hence, I am using the soft tofu in this recipe. Another mention is that, you should use lukewarm water when making the corn starch mixture – hot/cold water will make it lumpy.

Ingredient:

• 1 pack (12 oz) tofu – cut into cubes
• ½ lb ground pork
• 3 cloves garlic – peeled and minced
• 1 medium shallot – chopped roughly
• 2 stalks green onion – chopped
• 1 tablespoon laoganma black bean chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Direction:

• In a skillet, pre-heat the olive oil under medium heat.
• Once heated, add ground pork, garlic, and shallot.Cook for about 1-2 minutes or until the ground pork is a bit brownish.
• Then, add laoganma, oyster sauce, water, salt and pepper. Give it a good stir.
• While it’s cooking, let’s make the cornstarch mixture by combining 1 tablespoon of corn starch and 4 tablespoons of water.
• Add tofu and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then, add the corn starch mixture.
• When it is bubbly, it’s time to turn off the heat and transfer it to the serving plate.
• Enjoy it with a serving of fluffy steamed rice. Yum~