Chinese Cookbook: Learn How to Make Mapo Doufu

Nicole Bonnah | Jun 20, 2019 1:30 pm | Add a comment | 298 reads

What first struck me when I arrived in China six years ago was how diverse its national dishes are, not to mention how drastically different Chinese food in my home city of London is in comparison to authentic Chinese cuisine. I had been blindsided by deep-fried sesame prawn toast and whoppingly oversized sweet and sour pork balls. I had no idea what real Chinese food was, and now that this great nation has introduced me to its colorful world of fare, I can’t get enough of it. 

I thought to myself, it would be a great shame to have lived in China for so long only to one day move on without adding some of my favorite Chinese dishes to my cooking repertoire. One day I would like to cook Chinese food for my friends and family and introduce them to cuisine they may have never even heard of, and I hope to inspire you to do the same.

This week I cooked mapo tofu, one of the first dishes I ate when I moved to China. Silky tofu in a Sichuan spicy sauce with tender minced pork always seemed to be a part of the selection of huge plates of food that Chinese friends would order when out at a restaurant, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Here's how you can get the same experience at home, no matter where in the world you may be.

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of silky tofu
  • 200g minced pork 
  • 2 chopped spring onions
  • 1/2 cup coriander leaves
  • 1 tbsp. Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1/2 cup peanut oil
  • 1/2 cup minced garlic
  • 1 inch finely chopped ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp chili sauce
  • 1/2 cup Sichuan chilis

Instructions

  1. Add the cornflour, 1 teaspoon of soya sauce, and half of the salt to the minced pork. Mix in well and set aside
  2. In a wok heat the peanut oil under a medium-high flame. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and chili. For a milder dish, leave out the chili. Heat the peppercorns and chili until aromatic and the oil begins to turn slightly red. Take out the chili and peppercorns and discard. 
  3. Fry the pork in the infused oil until brown, add half of the minced garlic and the ginger. Mix in and then add the Sichuan chili oil. There are a number of versions you can choose from at most Chinese supermarkets; we chose chili oil made with salty black beans for added flavor. 
  4. Add the water, paprika, the remaining soy sauce and salt. Continue to stir and turn up the heat. 
  5. Carefully slice your silky tofu into squares and add to the wok. Keep the heat high and allow the tofu to cook through. Turn occasionally. 
  6. Dish out the Mapo Tofu and add the remaining garlic. Garnish with the coriander and chopped spring onions. Serve!

READ: Are These Two Popular Sandwiches Really Burgers With Chinese Characteristics?

This article originally appeared on our sister site beijingkids.

Photos: Nicole Bonnah