Ma Po Tofu From Cooking Light Food

MAPO TOFU RECIPE

Steps:

• Add a small pinch of salt and ground pepper. Mix well and set aside.
• Cut tofu into square cubes (around 2cms). Bring a large amount of water to a boil and then add a pinch of salt. Slide the tofu in and cook for 1 minute. Move out and drain. This helps to remove the raw soy flavor form tofu.
• Get a wok and heat up around 2 tablespoons of oil, fry the minced meat until crispy. Transfer out and leave the oil in.
• Add another 1 tablespoon of vegetable cooking oil and fry doubanjiang for 1 minute over slow fire until the red turns red (bring us a lovely red color dish) and add fermented black beans, garlic, scallion white and ginger, cook for 30 seconds until aroma. Optionally mix pepper flakes in. Pepper flakes should be added at the end because it contains little water and can be burnt easily.
• Pour in water or stock. Add light soy sauce, sugar and half of the cooked beef (providing more flavors to the soup) after the broth boils and let it continue simmering for 2-3 minutes. Place the tofu in, simmer for another 6-8 minutes. The longer time of simmering helps the tofu to absorb the flavors.
• During the process of simmering, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2.5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to make water starch. Stir the water starch and then pour half of the mixture to the simmering pot. Back push and wait for around 30 seconds and then pour the other half. You can slightly taste the tofu and add pinch of salt if not salty enough. Add cooked beef to creates some crispy texture and then drizzle sesame oil. Mix well.
• Transfer out when almost all the seasonings stick to tofu cubes. Sprinkle Szechuan peppercorn powder (to taste)and chopped garlic greens if using.
• Serve immediately with steamed rice.

MAPO TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring a pot of water to a boil and set up a bowl of ice water.
• Cook the gai lan in the boiling water, 3 minutes, then plunge into the ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry.
• Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil and the shiitake mushrooms to a 12-inch cast-iron pan and stir to coat the mushrooms. Put the pan into the oven and roast, stirring as needed, until slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly before roughly chopping. Set aside until ready to use.
• Heat a medium saucepan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil. Add the millet and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add half of the chives to sweat for a minute. Add 1 tablespoon doubanjiang and 3 cups water. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes. (Add more water if it is cooked out and the millet is too al dente).
• Meanwhile, in a wok or wide saucepan, add 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Add the remaining 1/2 cup chives, along with the ginger and garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Add the Shaoxing, dark soy sauce, sugar and remaining tablespoon doubanjiang and continue to cook until heated through, adding a little water if it becomes too dry.
• Combine the two mixtures together and add the Sichuan peppercorns and soy sauce to season. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with the tofu, chile oil and gai lan. Garnish with the peanuts, crispy shallots, cilantro and more chives. Add a pinch of ground Sichuan peppercorns over the top.

MAPO TOFU

Steps:

• Get all the ingredients ready before you start cooking and set them out in bowls. Drain the tofu and cut it into 1.5cm cubes. Put it in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Leave this while you get on with everything else.
• Heat a wok and pour in the groundnut oil. Get this really hot and fry the pork until it's crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon but leave the oil behind.
• Add the bean paste and cook, stirring for a few mins until fragrant, then add the black beans, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, for a min or so, then add the stock and let it bubble away.
• Stir the cornflour and water into the mixture in the wok, drain the tofu and stir it into the sauce. Tip in the spring onions and the mince.
• Add the chilli oil, if using, and sprinkle over the Sichuan peppercorns. The sauce shouldn't need seasoning with salt, as many of the ingredients are salty already. Serve with boiled white rice.

MAPO TOFU

Steps:

• Prepare the tofu: Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and put into a bowl. Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and when the boiling subsides, pour hot water over the tofu to cover. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large (14-inch) wok or (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns for 2 to 3 minutes, until super fragrant and slightly darkened. (A wisp of smoke is normal.) Let cool briefly, then pound with a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a spice grinder.
• Set a strainer over a measuring cup, then add the tofu to drain; reserve 1 1/2 cups of the soaking water, discarding the rest. Set the tofu and reserved soaking water near the stove with the peppercorns and other prepped ingredients for swift cooking.
• Reheat the wok or skillet over high. When hot - you can flick water in and it should sizzle and evaporate within seconds - swirl in the oil to evenly coat, then add the meat. Stir and mash into cooked and crumbly pieces, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 2 1/2 tablespoons doubanjiang, the douchi (if using), ginger and red-pepper flakes (if using). Cook about 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until things are vivid reddish brown. Add the soy sauce and sugar, stir to combine, then add the tofu. Gently stir or shake the pan to combine the ingredients without breaking up the tofu much.
• Add the reserved 1 1/2 cups soaking water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook for about 3 minutes, agitating the pan occasionally, to let the tofu absorb the flavors of the sauce.
• Slightly lower the heat and taste the sauce. If needed, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of doubanjiang for heat, a pinch of salt for savoriness, or a sprinkle of sugar to tame heat.
• Add the scallions and stir to combine. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, then stir in enough to the mapo tofu to thicken to a soupy rather than a gravy-like finish. Sprinkle in the ground peppercorns, give the mixture one last stir to incorporate, then transfer to a shallow bowl. Serve immediately with lots of hot rice.

MA PO TOFU (FROM COOKING LIGHT)

Steps:

• Place tofu slices on several layers of paper towels, cover with additional paper towels. Place a dinner plate on top of covered tofu; let stand 30 minutes. Remove plate, discard paper towels. Cut tofu slices into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Combine broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce and chili garlic sauce, stirring with a whisk.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 4 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tofu; cook 4 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
• Serve tofu mixture over rice. Sprinkle with onions.

MAPO TOFU

Steps:

• Mix marinade ingredients. Marinate pork for about 20 minutes.
• Cut the tofu (bean curd) into 1/2 inch (1 cm) square cubes, and blanch (drop into boiling water) for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from boiling water and drain.
• Chop leek or green onions into short lengths.
• Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add the marinated pork. Stir-fry pork until the color darkens. Add salt and stir. Add the salted black beans. Mash the beans with a cooking ladle until they blend in well with the meat. Add the chili paste, then the stock, bean curd, and leek or green onions.
• Turn down the heat. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes.
• While cooking, mix cornstarch, water, and soy sauce together. Add to wok and stir gently. Serve with freshly ground Szechuan pepper.

MA PO TOFU

Steps:

• Place 1 tablespoon of the chopped ginger into a large zip-lock bag, and reserve the remainder.
• Add the remaining marinade ingredients to the bowl (1 sliced green onion, 1 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons dry sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch), and mix well.
• Add the ground pork, mix marinade and ground pork together, and put in refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove hard stems from Shiitake mushrooms and slice finely.
• Blanch the tofu in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain.
• Combine the garlic with the reserved ginger, and process together with a stick blender or spice grinder until they form a thick paste.
• Heat large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the Sesame and Olive Oil (2 tbsp sesame, 1 tbsp olive) and just as it is starting to smoke, add the garlic/ginger pasted and stir-fry, stirring continuously for approximately 30 seconds (take care not to burn the mixture).
• Next add the Black Bean Hot Sauce, Szechwan Stir Fry Sauce, Chili Oil, Shiitake mushrooms, and stir-fry for approximately 60 seconds.
• Stir meat mixture, add it to the skillet, and continue to stir-fry over high heat for two to three minutes, until it looses its pinkish color.
• Toss in the tofu and the sliced green onions and continue to fry for about 45 seconds.
• Pour in the soy sauce and water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to moderate and cook for a couple of minutes.
• If there appears to be too much liquid in the pan contents, thicken with a little cornstarch and water.
• Serve with steamed rice.

MA PO TOFU

Steps:

• Place 1 tablespoon of the chopped ginger into a large zip-lock bag, and reserve the remainder.
• Add the remaining marinade ingredients to the bowl (1 sliced green onion, 1 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons dry sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch), and mix well.
• Add the ground pork, mix marinade and ground pork together, and put in refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove hard stems from Shiitake mushrooms and slice finely.
• Blanch the tofu in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain.
• Combine the garlic with the reserved ginger, and process together with a stick blender or spice grinder until they form a thick paste.
• Heat large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the Sesame and Olive Oil (2 tbsp sesame, 1 tbsp olive) and just as it is starting to smoke, add the garlic/ginger pasted and stir-fry, stirring continuously for approximately 30 seconds (take care not to burn the mixture).
• Next add the Black Bean Hot Sauce, Szechwan Stir Fry Sauce, Chili Oil, Shiitake mushrooms, and stir-fry for approximately 60 seconds.
• Stir meat mixture, add it to the skillet, and continue to stir-fry over high heat for two to three minutes, until it looses its pinkish color.
• Toss in the tofu and the sliced green onions and continue to fry for about 45 seconds.
• Pour in the soy sauce and water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to moderate and cook for a couple of minutes.
• If there appears to be too much liquid in the pan contents, thicken with a little cornstarch and water.
• Serve with steamed rice.

MA PO TOFU

Steps:

• Braise Onion, Garlic, Ginger, White Onion & Five Spice in Peanut Oil for a minute or two.
• Add Ground Turkey and cook until brown.
• Add Hot Red Pepper, Lime Juice, Tomato, 3/4 of the Sweet Red Pepper, 3/4 of the Green Onions, Tomato Catsup, Soy Sauce & Chicken consommé and cook (covered but check and stir often) on a medium heat until 3/4 of the liquid is absorbed.
• Add Tofu and cook until heated through (about 5 minutes).
• Add Remaining Sweet Red Pepper and Green Onions, along with the sesame oil, cook for 1 minute.
• Serve with rice or in lettuce leaf cups.