Mapo Tofu

About This Recipe

Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is the soul of Sichuan cooking distilled into a single bowl. The name translates roughly to 'pockmarked old woman's tofu', honouring the legendary Chen family restaurant in Chengdu that made the dish famous in the nineteenth century. Its defining characteristic is the interplay of two sensations Sichuanese call 'mala' — 'ma' is the numbing, tingling buzz from Sichuan peppercorns, while 'la' is the searingly bright heat of doubanjiang chilli bean paste and dried chillies. Silken tofu absorbs this complex, brick-red sauce, and a small amount of minced pork provides savoury depth without dominating. The dish is finished with a slick of chilli oil and a scattering of chopped scallions, and served over steamed white rice.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gsilken tofu(cut into 2cm cubes)
• 150 gminced pork
• 3 tablespoonsdoubanjiang (Sichuan chilli bean paste)
• 1 tablespoonfermented black beans (douchi)(roughly chopped)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tablespoonfresh ginger(finely grated)
• 2 teaspoonsSichuan peppercorns(toasted and ground)
• 1 tablespoonchilli oil
• 250 mlchicken stock
• 1 tablespoonlight soy sauce
• 1 teaspoonsugar
• 1.5 tablespoonscornstarch(mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water)
• 3spring onions(thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoonsvegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch the tofu

   Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle simmer. Carefully slide in the tofu cubes and blanch for 2 minutes to firm them slightly and season them. Drain carefully and set aside. This step prevents the tofu from breaking apart during stir-frying.

   Use silken or soft tofu for the most authentic texture — firm tofu will not absorb the sauce in the same way.

2. 2

   Fry the pork and aromatics

   Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the minced pork and stir-fry, breaking it up, until no longer pink and lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Push to the side, reduce heat to medium and add the doubanjiang. Fry the paste, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until it darkens and the oil turns a deep red.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   Add the garlic, ginger and fermented black beans to the wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock, soy sauce and sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

4. 4

   Add the tofu

   Gently slide the blanched tofu into the sauce. Stir very carefully using a spatula, swirling the wok rather than stirring aggressively, to coat the tofu without breaking it. Simmer for 3–4 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the sauce.

5. 5

   Thicken and finish

   Give the cornstarch slurry a stir and pour it in around the edges of the wok in two additions, stirring gently between each, until the sauce reaches a glossy, coating consistency. Drizzle in the chilli oil.

6. 6

   Serve

   Transfer to a serving bowl, dust generously with the ground Sichuan peppercorn and scatter the spring onions over the top. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice.

Variations

• •

  Make it fully vegetarian by omitting the pork and using vegetable stock and a tablespoon of extra fermented black beans.

• •

  Add a tablespoon of sesame paste to the sauce for extra richness.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently — the tofu will soften further but remain delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions