Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)

I first learned this recipe from The Food of Sichuan by Fuschia Dunlop, with additional variations from Iron Chef Chen Kenichi incorporated later.

This recipe (like many Sichuan dishes) demands a proper mise en place, because it moves very quickly once you start cooking.

It's traditionally cooked with ground beef but omitting it still produces a lovely dish.

Ingredients

• 1lb 2 oz (500g) plain white tofu, in bite-sized cubes
• 2 scallions or 2 stalks Chinese green garlic, sliced ¾-inch
• 5 tbsp cooking oil
• 2½ tbsp doubanjiang (豆瓣酱, chili bean paste)
• 1 tbsp douchi (豆豉, fermented black beans)
• 2 tsp ground chiles
• some cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• ¾ cup (175ml) stock or water
• soy sauce
• black pepper
• 1 tbsp potato starch, mixed with 2½ tbsp cold water
• ¼-1 tsp ground roasted Sichuan pepper
• cooked rice

Quick summary

• start the rice you idiot
• oil
• doubanjiang
• douchi & ground chiles
• garlic & ginger
• stock, soy sauce, pepper, & tofu
• scallions
• starch
• Sichuan peppercorns

Directions

Put the tofu in salted water and bring it to a boil while you begin the next steps.

Heat the oil in the wok over medium heat. Add the following ingredients, one at a time, cooking each just until it starts to become fragrant (it should take barely any time at all, boom-boom-boom done).

• doubanjiang
• douchi & ground chiles
• garlic & ginger

Remove from heat and add the stock, soy sauce, and black pepper. When the tofu begins to "dance" in the boiling water, add it & return to heat. Bring it to a boil, add the scallions, then simmer for a couple of minutes to absorb the flavor.

Add the starch a little bit at a time, stirring it in with the back of the ladle, until it thickens appropriately.

Finish with Sichuan peppercorns and serve over rice.