Description
Mapo tofu is quick, easy, delicious, flavorful, spicy, and numbing that is ready in just 20 minutes. Serve it with steamed rice on busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 pound ground beef or ground pork
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chili bean paste (Doubanjiang)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 pound package medium firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil or chili oil
- 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add ground beef (or ground pork) and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Make sure to break up the meat into small pieces to help even browning.
- Add ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, crushed red pepper, and white pepper (if using). Stir well and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add Shaoxing wine, chili bean paste, chicken broth (or water), and cornstarch. Mix well until smooth and let the sauce mixture simmer over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until thickened a bit.
- Carefully add tofu and toss gently to coat. Optionally, you can gently heat the cubed tofu in a large cooking pot of boiling water over medium heat for 1-2 minutes to firm up a bit, and then transfer into the sauce mixture.
- Stir in sesame oil (or chili oil) and green onions and let the tofu simmer in the sauce for 1 minute.
- Serve immediately with a bowl of steamed rice or fried rice.
Notes
How to store: Mapo tofu is best served fresh. You can keep leftover mapotofu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
How to reheat: Reheat in a pan over the stove until warmed through. You can also microwave it covered for a couple minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese