Sichuan tofu (also known as Mapo Tofu) is one of the delicious Chinese dishes that is very popular with many families.
This dish is famous for its characteristic "Ma-La" (head and spicy) flavor with a combination of chili and pepper. With simple ingredients and not taking too long to prepare, Sichuan tofu is very suitable for enjoying on cold winter days.
To make standard Sichuan tofu, housewives should prepare 500gr of young tofu; 150gr of minced pork; spicy soy sauce (Doubanjiang); Sichuan pepper seeds; chili powder; garlic; ginger; scallions and cornstarch (or tapioca starch).
In the preliminary processing of tofu, special attention should be paid to prevent the tofu from bursting, so wash gently, cut into small square blocks of about 2cm. Boil a pot of water with 1 teaspoon of salt, put the tofu in and simmer quickly for about 1-2 minutes, then take it out to drain. This method will help the tofu firm up, remove the fishy smell and not become mushy.
Roast pepper until fragrant on a dry pan and then crush. Wash scallions, mince the white heads, chop the green leaves to decorate and increase the attractiveness of the dish.
When preparing, housewives should heat a pan with a little cooking oil, add minced meat and stir-fry over high heat. Stir-fry evenly until the meat is tender, turns golden brown and has a fragrant smell, then reduce heat. Next, add spicy soy sauce, chili powder, minced garlic, minced ginger and white onion head and stir-fry with the meat. Stir-fry thoroughly until the soy sauce dissolves into a beautiful glossy red oil layer.
After the meat and spices mixture has a fragrant aroma, add about 200ml of chicken broth (or filtered water), season with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar to taste. When the sauce boils, gently add the tofu and then use a spoon or shake the pan to let the tofu absorb the sauce, avoid stirring vigorously to crush the tofu. Simmer over low heat for about 3-5 minutes until the tofu absorbs the spices evenly.
The final step is to dissolve cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, slowly pour it into the pan and stir well until the sauce thickens, and absorbs into each piece of bean. Sprinkle roasted pepper powder and scallions on top and turn off the heat. Enjoy Sichuan tofu with hot rice will help feel the full delicious and fatty taste.
