Ma Po Tofu- Tofu in Spicy Bean Sauce

Servings
2
Prep
20 m
Cook
20 m

Recipe By: Dylan Vickers-Fukakusa

This classic Sichuan dish features do ba djan- a spicy bean paste that gives this tofu a rich gravy-like sauce that is excellent when served with rice.

Ingredients

250 g momen (semi-soft) tofu
100 g pork mince
300 ml chicken stock
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp spring onion
1 clove garlic
2x2x2 cm knob ginger, minced
1 tbsp toban djan (spicy bean paste)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, ground
3 tbsp hong you (chilli oil)
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

1

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet. When the oil is hot, add in the minced pork and stir continuously, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go.
2

Once the pork is cooked through and begins to caramelise a little, add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add in the toban djan, hong you and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3

Add in the tofu, chicken stock, soy sauce, and sugar and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the stock has evaporated to ¼ of its original volume. Mix 1tbsp of cornstarch and water together and add it to the pan, slowly swirling the pan to ensure that the cornstarch slurry incorporates evenly into the tofu. Cook until the sauce thickens to a gravy consistency.
4

Garnish with 1 tsp of ground Sichuan peppercorns and sliced spring onion.