Mapo Tofu

4.58 from 14 votes

Authentic and easy Mapo Tofu recipe, with soft silken tofu cooked in a spicy, numbing, savory, and aromatic Mapo Tofu sauce with ground pork. This recipe is fail-proof and beginner-friendly.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Tofu

Cuisine: Chinese Recipes

Keyword: Mapo Tofu

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

1 block silken tofu 18-oz/500 g
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons chili oil
2 cloves garlic chopped
4 oz (113g) ground pork

Mapo Tofu Sauce

3 tablespoons Sichuan spicy bean paste 辣豆瓣酱
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon fermented black beans rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns roasted and ground to powder
2 stalks leeks or scallions, chopped
salt to taste

Instructions

Cut the tofu into small pieces, drain any excess water from it, and set aside. Heat a wok, then add cooking oil and chili oil. Stir-fry chopped garlic, ground pork, and spicy bean paste until the pork is halfway cooked.
Next, add chili powder, soy sauce, and fermented black beans, stir-frying until aromatic. Carefully add the tofu and water; gently stir to blend the tofu without breaking it, ensuring it mixes well with the sauce.
Reduce the heat and simmer for about 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Then, add roasted Sichuan peppercorn powder, chopped scallions, and add salt to taste. Gently stirring to blend everything well. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Notes

In the United States, Chinese pantry ingredients can be purchased at large Asian supermarket chains like 99 Ranch Market and H Mart. For Spicy Bean sauce, I recommend the Lee Kum Kee brand, which is marketed as Chili Bean Sauce (Toban Djan).

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