Sichuan Spicy Tofu (Mapo Tofu)
Mapo tofu is the dish that defines Sichuan cooking for much of the world. Blocks of silken tofu are slid into a wok with ground pork, doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), and a generous measure of ground Sichuan pepper, then cooked until the sauce thickens and clings to every cube. The doubanjiang provides a deep, fermented heat and ruddy color, while the Sichuan pepper delivers the numbing sensation - ma - that makes the dish unmistakable. Spooned over steamed rice, the sauce soaks into every grain. The interplay of ma (numbing) and la (spicy) is Sichuan cuisine's signature, and no dish demonstrates it more directly than this one.
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Instructions
- 1
Cube tofu, blanch for 1 minute, and drain.
- 2
Heat oil and stir-fry ground pork until lightly browned.
- 3
Add garlic, ginger, and doubanjiang; cook until fragrant.
- 4
Add water and soy sauce, then simmer tofu for 3 minutes.
- 5
Stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
- 6
Finish with ground Sichuan pepper for numbing aroma.
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