Mapo Tofu Chinese Comfort Food
Nutritional Info
- Servings Per Recipe: 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 347.0
- Total Fat: 27.6 g
- Cholesterol: 36.8 mg
- Sodium: 634.4 mg
- Total Carbs: 6.0 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 18.8 g
View full nutritional breakdown of Mapo Tofu Chinese Comfort Food calories by ingredient
Introduction
A friend recommended that I try this spicy Chinese tofu dish to get me started eating tofu, and it successfully hooked me into liking tofu! Head to your local Asian grocery store to find the bean paste and peppercorns. I used my food processor to grind them. A friend recommended that I try this spicy Chinese tofu dish to get me started eating tofu, and it successfully hooked me into liking tofu! Head to your local Asian grocery store to find the bean paste and peppercorns. I used my food processor to grind them.Number of Servings: 4
Ingredients
-
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons chili oil
1/2 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons spicy bean paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 pound regular or soft tofu, drained and cubed
1 cup water or beef stock
1 tablespoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
Salt to taste
Tips
--Definitely consider lightening up on the meat (use lean ground turkey instead of fattier ground pork, for example) and reduce the amount of peppercorns and black beans depending on your spice preferences. Fat does equal flavor here, though, so do not substitute out the oil if you change the meat.
--I have also heard about adding cornstarch to the water/stock at the end to thicken the sauce quickly, if you find that your sauce is not thick enough. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the water and stir to dissolve it prior to adding. Then quickly bring to a boil (it won't take 5 minutes!)
Directions
1. Heat the oils in a deep saucepan or wok on medium-high.
2. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink, breaking up the meat so that it is in small, crumbled pieces. Then add the garlic and bean paste; stir-fry about 1 minute more, careful to not burn the garlic.
3. Next, add in the chili powder and soy sauce and stir-fry about 2-3 minutes more. It should smell incredible by now!
4. Add in the tofu and water or stock, stirring gently to blend the tofu with the sauce (but not breaking the tofu too much). Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
5. Sprinkle the Sichuan peppercorn over the mixture. Gently stir to incorporate evenly. Sprinkle the scallions over the top of each serving. Serve immediately with white rice or just on its own in a small bowl.
Enjoy!
Serving Size: Makes approximately 4 1-cup servings
2. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink, breaking up the meat so that it is in small, crumbled pieces. Then add the garlic and bean paste; stir-fry about 1 minute more, careful to not burn the garlic.
3. Next, add in the chili powder and soy sauce and stir-fry about 2-3 minutes more. It should smell incredible by now!
4. Add in the tofu and water or stock, stirring gently to blend the tofu with the sauce (but not breaking the tofu too much). Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
5. Sprinkle the Sichuan peppercorn over the mixture. Gently stir to incorporate evenly. Sprinkle the scallions over the top of each serving. Serve immediately with white rice or just on its own in a small bowl.
Enjoy!
Serving Size: Makes approximately 4 1-cup servings