Mapo Tofu

Ingredients

• Silken or soft tofu, cubed 400 g
• Ground pork 120 g
• Doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste) 2 tbsp
• Fermented black beans, chopped 1 tbsp
• Garlic, minced 2 cloves
• Ginger, minced 1 tbsp
• Sichuan peppercorns, ground 1 tsp
• Chili oil 1 tbsp
• Chicken stock 200 ml
• Soy sauce 1 tbsp
• Cornstarch 1 tbsp
• Spring onions, sliced 2
• Cooking oil 2 tbsp

Instructions

1. 1

   Gently blanch the tofu cubes in lightly salted simmering water for 1 minute, then drain carefully.

2. 2

   Heat oil in a wok and brown the ground pork until crisp.

3. 3

   Add the doubanjiang, black beans, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry until the oil turns red and fragrant.

4. 4

   Pour in the stock and soy sauce and bring to a simmer.

5. 5

   Slide in the tofu and simmer gently for a few minutes, nudging rather than stirring to keep the cubes intact.

6. 6

   Stir the cornstarch with a little water and add it to thicken the sauce into a glossy coating.

7. 7

   Finish with chili oil and ground Sichuan peppercorns, scatter with spring onions, and serve with rice.