Mapo tofu is a famous Chinese dish known for its bold spiciness. It’s considered a quintessential Chinese flavor by people around the world. To create authentic Mapo tofu, home cooks should select tender tofu without any sourness, lean meat to avoid greasiness, and bright red Sichuan peppercorns.
Origin of Mapo Tofu
Because of its origin in Sichuan, it’s often called Sichuan-style Mapo Tofu, but in fact, the dish has a more interesting name: Mapo Tofu. Mapo is the name of the dish’s creator.
Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty in China, there was a couple who ran a food stall. The wife, who was also the main cook, had many pockmarks on her face, so people nicknamed her Mapo (“ma” in Chinese means pockmark, and “po” means woman).
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To use up the excess soft tofu in her inventory, Mapo came up with a new recipe. She combined the tofu with minced pork and various spices, stir-frying them together in a large wok. This recipe quickly made her stall famous and became the restaurant’s signature dish, sought after by everyone who visited
The Secrets to Making Authentic Mapo Tofu
The main ingredient of Mapo Tofu is soft Sichuan tofu. The tofu is cut into small cubes and stir-fried with minced meat. An essential ingredient is Sichuan Doubanjiang, a fermented bean paste that gives Mapo Tofu its unique flavor.
The dish is characterized by its bold spiciness. To achieve the authentic flavor, a generous amount of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns are used, resulting in a fragrant and spicy dish.
A key point in making Mapo tofu is to ensure the tofu remains tender and intact despite its delicate texture. Therefore, careful attention must be paid to cutting the tofu into even cubes and stir-frying gently. A large wok is recommended to prevent the tofu from breaking apart.
How to Make Mapo Tofu
With just a few simple ingredients like tofu, meat, and seasonings, you can easily make this delicious dish right in your own kitchen. Bluevelvet Restaurant is excited to share with you a recipe for Mapo Tofu:
Ingredients
- White tofu
- Lean meat
- Onion, carrot
- Dried shiitake mushrooms, green onion, garlic, ginger
- Sichuan peppercorns, chili paste, cornstarch
- Cooking oil, sugar, salt, pepper, oyster sauce, soy sauce
Preparation
- Boil the tofu until cooked and cut into square pieces.
- Mince the meat.
- Soak the mushrooms in water, rinse, and dice.
- Dice the onion and carrot.
- Mince the garlic, ginger, and chili peppers.
Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the minced garlic, ginger, and onion until fragrant. Add the diced mushrooms and cook for about 1 minute.
Step 2: Add the minced meat, carrots, and onion, and stir-fry until the meat is cooked.
Step 3: Season with oyster sauce, soy sauce, chili paste, pepper, salt, and sugar. Stir well to combine.
Step 4: Pour in 200ml of water and bring to a boil. Add the tofu and chili powder, simmer for 3 minutes, stirring gently to prevent the tofu from breaking.
Step 5: Dissolve cornstarch in water and pour into the pan. Simmer over low heat until the sauce has thickened. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve.
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The Irresistible Flavor of Mapo Tofu
Despite being made from bland white tofu, the dish is incredibly flavorful and sophisticated thanks to a harmonious blend of minced meat and various spicy seasonings.
The soft, slightly fatty tofu, combined with the sweetness of the meat and the spiciness of the chili peppers, makes Mapo Tofu a crowd-pleaser.
Mapo Tofu boasts an unforgettable spicy and numbing flavor, making it a beloved Chinese dish that has captivated countless diners. Mapo Tofu offers a tantalizing blend of fragrant spices, tender tofu, and a rich, savory sauce. It’s a perfect match for a bowl of hot rice, creating an explosion of flavors in every bite.
