Mapo Doufu

Ok folks. Here's something for those craving Chinese food that is lighter, flavorful, and doesn't cost very much to make. Well, provided that you have most of the primary ingredients.

So here's the thing about cooking Chinese food in the US, especially in non-Asian households. It can be challenging because you aren't familiar with the ingredients and how the final dish, the dish you've slaved so hard over, is supposed to taste. It also can frustrate the hell out of you because you don't have all the "exotic" ingredients waiting for you in the pantry. I get it.

So get these three items:

These two sauces are quintessential when cooking Chinese food, be it Sichuanese, Hunanese, Hokkien or Cantonese. Just get it. And oh hey, if you don't have the one on the right, the lighter brown bean paste, substitute it with miso. Just make sure it doesn't have dashi or MSG in it. It's.. an acceptable compromise, by my standards. Let's face it, girl's gotta put food on the table!

I like soft toufu for this dish because it melds so nicely with the sauce. Don't fret it you've got medium or hard toufu or whatever. It's personal preference. Mao will not turn in his grave. How to tell it's soft toufu? The packet should say so? Or else, pick one that is for soup or steaming. Hope that helps me remember! 

Also, this is a MUST if you want the tongue-numbing sensation and/or the fruity-floral taste of Sichuanese dishes. A MUST for this dish. I use about 1/2 to 1 tbs of this sensational spice for this dish. Please, feel free to add more if you like a culinary challenge. I have friends who eat Sichuan hot pot primarily for this spice. In Singlish, we call them "siao", ie crazy asses.

I believe some packets call it prickly ash.  Pick out the twigs, use the rest whole or ground in a mortar.

and.. to re-emphasize how in-authentic a cook I am, and also how resourceful and adaptive, use korean chili powder for anything mildly spicy, or buy a packet of dried chilis from an asian supermarket for a bigger kick.

Now, the recipe. I've been cooking this for ages, adapting a site I used to visit. Recently I bought Fushia Dunlop's Land of Plenty and realised it was rather similar! Except that her recipe uses beef instead of pork. I've never tried it but can only imagine I'd prefer the milder flavor of pork in here.
She also puts leeks in here. I never do, because Pan is picky about his food and this is one of the only ways I can get him to eat toufu, so no way am I going to jeopardize that by putting in a veggie he's not fond of. If you do use leeks, use only the soft white part, slice thinly on the diagonal, and add it in step 1.

Also,  possible vegan note: sub out the chicken broth for veggie, and pork for chopped mushrooms, and this could be an ideal meal! I must try this out.

Mapo Doufu Recipe 

Adapted from Appetite for China

Feeds 4 as a side dish (I paired it with a snow pea and shredded rotisserie chicken I had left over.. look!)

Prep time: 5 min

Cooking time: 15 min

Ingredients

1)   1 tub soft tofu roughly cut into 1-inch cubes (or larger)

2)   1 tbs vegetable oil

3)   ½ lb = 8 ounces ground pork

4)   4 cloves garlic, minced

5)   2.5 TBS chili bean paste AND 1 TBS fermented black bean paste  or: 3 tbs dark brown dou jiang + 1 tbs chinese style sambal chili

7)   0.5 to 1 tbs Sichuan pepper (prickly ash), ground into powder

8)   2 tsp white sugar

9)   2 tsp light soy sauce

10) 1.5 cup chicken stock /water

11)  ~ 3 tbs cornstarch mixed with 4 tbs cold water

12) garnish: 2 bunches of spring onions, diced.

Optional:

1)   1 pack of white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2) Two young leeks, washed, white tender parts sliced thinly on the diagonal

Instructions

Heat veggie oil in a wok over high heat. Add garlic and mushrooms and stir-fry until fragrant.

Reduce heat to medium, add minced pork and stir-fry until brown. Add your choice of either/or for number 5) and the ground Sichuan pepper, and fry for about 1 minute, until the oil is a rich red color.

Pour in the stock and stir well.  Season with the sugar, soy sauce, and salt to taste. At this point, taste it. It should taste savory, rich, with a tinge of sweetness.

Mix in the drained tofu gently by pushing the back of your ladle or wok scoop gently from the edges to the center of the wok or pan; don't plop the whole box in or you will have sauce all over your stove and your shirt! 

Stir very gently and only as needed, or the tofu will break up into mush. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes, allowing the tofu to absorb the flavors of the sauce.

Then add the cornstarch mixture in 2 or 3 stages as required, mixing as you go. The sauce should just cover the back of your ladle. if it's too runny, you'll find that this dish doesn't taste as good because the sauce doesn't stick to the toufu. If it's too thick, every bite you take of the dish will be far too flavorful and you won't be able to enjoy very much of it. 

Enjoy!