Mapo Tofu

Making a classic, spicy, and rice-pairing Mapo Tofu at home takes about 20 minutes. Ingredients • Tofu: 1 block of soft or firm tofu (cut into 1.5 cm cubes) • Ground Pork: 150g • Aromatics: Chopped scallions, minced garlic, minced ginger, each a little • Seasonings: 2 tbsp Doubanjiang (spicy broad bean paste), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice wine, 1 tsp sugar, 150cc water, cornstarch slurry to thicken, Sichuan peppercorn powder or whole Sichuan peppercorns to taste Instructions 1. Blanch Tofu: Bring water with a little salt to a boil in a pot. Add the tofu cubes and blanch for 2 minutes, then remove and drain. This helps prevent it from breaking apart during cooking. 2. Stir-fry Ground Pork: Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil. Add the ground pork and stir-fry until it turns white. 3. Sauté Aromatics and Sauces: Add the Doubanjiang and stir-fry until the oil turns red. Then, add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant. 4. Simmer and Infuse Flavors: Pour in the water, soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then add the tofu and gently stir to combine. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. 5. Thicken and Serve: Drizzle in the cornstarch slurry to thicken slightly. Before removing from heat, sprinkle with chopped scallions and Sichuan peppercorn powder to finish.