Sichuan Chinese · Free recipe
Mapo Tofu
Silken cubes of tofu tremble in a fiery, glossy sauce of doubanjiang, fermented black beans, and chili oil, with finely chopped shiitake standing in for the usual ground pork. Freshly ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns finish the dish with that tingling, lip-buzzing numbness the Sichuan kitchen is famous for.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 3
- Level
- Medium
Method
-
Slide the tofu cubes into a pot of gently simmering salted water for 2 minutes to firm them up, then leave them in the hot water while you make the sauce.
-
Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat and stir-fry the shiitake for 4 minutes until browned and any liquid has cooked off.
-
Lower the heat to medium, add the doubanjiang, and fry for 1 minute until the oil turns red, then add the black beans, garlic, and ginger for 30 seconds more.
-
Stir in the chili oil, broth, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to a simmer.
-
Lift the tofu from the water with a slotted spoon, slide it into the wok, and nudge it gently with the back of a ladle rather than stirring so the cubes stay whole; simmer for 3 minutes.
-
Drizzle in the cornstarch slurry in two additions, shaking the wok, until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the tofu, then scatter with ground Sichuan pepper and scallions and serve with steamed rice.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan until they smell like citrus and wood, then grind them fresh; pre-ground powder loses its numbing buzz quickly.
