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Mapo Tofu – plated and served
LunchDinnerHigh ProteinChinese

Mapo Tofu

Silken tofu in a spicy and savory Sichuan sauce with the typical tingling pepper kick.

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Preparation
10 min
Cook/bake time
15 min
Total
25 min
Difficulty
Medium
Calories
335 kcal
Servings
4
Prep
10 min
Cooking & baking
15 min

Silken tofu in a spicy and savory Sichuan sauce with the typical tingling pepper kick. The heart of the dish is Doubanjiang, a fermented bean paste that gives the sauce its deep red color and incredible flavor. In twenty minutes, a classic is on the table that is sold on every street corner in Sichuan.

Why this works

The tingling of the Sichuan pepper comes from hydroxy-alpha sanshool, a substance that stimulates touch receptors in the lip at about 50 hertz, so it is not a taste, but a tactile sensation. Sanshool is heat sensitive and volatile, cooked with it nothing remains. Therefore, the freshly ground pepper is added at the end, while Doubanjiang must cook from the beginning to release its salty heat.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Prepare tofu

    Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a simmer and carefully add the tofu cubes. Let them steep for two minutes without the water boiling vigorously, and then lift them out with a slotted spoon. This step firms up the tofu and removes the slightly beany aftertaste, so that it does not fall apart later in the sauce.

  2. Fry ground meat

    Heat the oil in a wok over medium to high heat and fry the ground meat until crumbly, until it is lightly browned and some of the fat has rendered. Take four minutes for this, because properly browned ground meat brings significantly more flavor than just cooked through.

  3. Roast spice paste

    Reduce the heat to medium and add Doubanjiang, the black beans, garlic and ginger. Roast everything while stirring for about one minute, until the oil in the wok turns deep red and the scent becomes intense. Pay close attention to the temperature, because the paste burns quickly and then becomes bitter.

  4. Simmer sauce

    Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the soy sauce. Let everything boil briefly and then carefully add the tofu cubes. From now on do not stir anymore, but only gently swirl the wok, otherwise the tofu falls apart. Let everything simmer gently for five minutes, so that the tofu absorbs the flavors.

  5. Thicken and serve

    Pour the mixed cornstarch in two to three portions and swirl the wok after each addition, until the sauce shines silkily and coats the tofu. Remove the wok from the heat, sprinkle the ground Sichuan pepper and the scallions over it. Serve immediately with rice, which wonderfully absorbs the strong sauce.

Our best tips

  • Sprinkle Sichuan pepper over it only shortly before serving. Cooked with it, it loses its typical tingling aroma.
  • Doubanjiang is available in jars in the Asian market. There is no real substitute, but if necessary 1 tablespoon Gochujang plus 1 teaspoon miso paste will do.
  • Never stir tofu, only swirl. A wok or a deep pan with a sloping edge makes this much easier.

Tasty variations

Vegetarian

Replace ground meat with 200 g finely chopped shiitake and use vegetable broth.

Milder

Take only 1 tablespoon Doubanjiang and round off with 1 teaspoon sugar, then it becomes family friendly.

Nutrition facts

Per serving (1 portion)
Calories335 kcal
Protein21 g
Carbohydrates12 g
– of which sugar3 g
Fat23 g
Fiber1 g

Where the 335 kcal come from

per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it

We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:

  • Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
  • Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
  • Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
  • Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.

A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.

How we calculate nutrition →

Frequently asked questions

Which tofu do I need?

Firm silken tofu is ideal, because it stays creamy inside. Normal firm tofu also works, but is significantly grainier in texture.

Is Mapo Tofu very spicy?

Traditionally yes, but you control the heat via the amount of Doubanjiang. The Sichuan pepper is by the way not spicy, but creates a tingling, slightly numb feeling on the tongue.

Can I reheat the dish?

Yes, best gently in the pan with a dash of water. In the microwave the tofu can easily become rubbery.

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