Mapo Dofu Spicy Tofu With Meat Sauce Szechwan Style 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.

SICHUAN MAPO TOFU

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Mix the tapioca starch and the soy sauce together.
• Marinate pork for about 20 minutes.
• Cut the tofu ( bean curd ) into 1/2-inch square cubes, and blanch (drop into boiling water) for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from boiling water and drain.
• Chop leek or green onions into short lengths.
• Heat wok and add oil. When the 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 bean paste, then the stock, bean curd, and leek or green onions. Turn down the heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• While cooking, mix cornstarch , water, and soy sauce together. Add to wok and stir gently.
• Serve with freshly ground Szechuan pepper and enjoy!

MAPO DOFU: SPICY TOFU WITH MEAT SAUCE (SZECHWAN STYLE)

Steps:

• In a large sturdy frying pan (preferably a 12" one), saute the onions and the garlic in the oils until onions are somewhat tender (saute less if using green onions).
• Add in the ground meat and chop it up with your spatula as you stir-fry. Continue until meat is no longer pink (takes only a few minutes--do not overcook!).
• Add in ginger, chili paste (to taste--leave it out if cooking for a toddler), sake or other wine, soy sauce, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, skimming off fat, if needed.
• Add in the cubed tofu and stir gently, while trying to avoid breaking up the cubes. Cook only until tofu is coated and hot (not long!).
• Stir the cornstarch into a few tablespoons of water--just to moisten--and add this mixture slowly to the meat and tofu--stirring constantly.
• Scoop heaping portions of the mapo dofu over steamed white rice and let guests add in more chili paste, if they desire.

MA PO TOFU (SPICY SZECHWAN BEAN CURD)

Steps:

• Place 1 tablespoon of the chopped ginger in a medium-sized bowl, and reserve the remainder.
• Add the remaining marinade ingredients to the bowl (1 sliced spring onion, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoon of Chinese rice wine, 2 teaspoons cornstarch), and mix well.
• Add the ground beef or pork, give it another stir and set aside for approx 30 minutes.
• Place the tree ears or shiitake mushrooms in small bowl, pour over boiling water, and soak for about 15 minutes until they are soft and gelatinous.
• Drain the soaked tree ears, rinse, remove hard stems, 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 the consistency of a thick paste.
• Heat a wok over a moderately high flame.
• Add the peanut oil, and just as it is starting to smoke, add the garlic/ginger paste and stir-fry, stirring continuously, for approximately 30 seconds.
• Next add the brown bean paste, Szechwan chile paste, water chestnuts and tree ears, and stir-fry for a further minute.
• Give the meat mixture a stir, add it to the wok, and continue to stir-fry over high heat for two to three minutes, until it loses its pinkish color.
• Toss in the tofu and the sliced green onions and continue to toss and fry for about 45 seconds.
• Finally, add the sugar and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
• Pour in the soy sauce& water, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to moderate and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the Szechwan pepper corns and stir thoroughly.
• If there appears to be too much liquid in the wok contents, thicken with a little cornstarch and water.
• Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and season to taste with salt.
• Serve with steamed rice, and garnish with cilantro.

MAPO TOFU WITH SHRIMP JAPANESE-SICHUAN STYLE

Steps:

• PREPARATION.
• In a cup add the salted black beans (rinse briefly in water to remove some of the salt) and then add 1-2 tablespoon dry sherry or substitutes. Then add grated ginger, chopped garlic and soak for 15 or more minutes, set aside.
• In a bowl add the ground meat and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and mix, set aside.
• In a cup add stock, Amoy Sichuan Spicy Noodle Sauce, chili paste with garlic, set aside.
• In a cup add the 2 tablespoons tapioca starch and 4 tablespoons water, mix and set aside.
• Cut up the FIRM tofu into bite size cubes, place in a pot of low boiling water, add 1 teaspoon salt and cook for 7 minutes, drain and set aside.
• For the Chinese Chives, discard the buds/flowers (some like to use this), wash the Chives and then cut into small 1 inch pieces ( ¾ cup), set aside, (or if using spring onions/scallions, wash and clean then cut into small pieces).
• Place the cleaned shrimp in a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vinegar, toss and let sit for about 15 minutes, set aside.
• COOKING DIRECTIONS.
• In a wok (or Teflon pan) add the peanut oil and when hot add the salted black bean mixture, stir for 1 minute.
• Add the ground pork (or other meat) and stir to break up the pieces for about 1 minute.
• Next add the stock mixture, stir and bring to a boil.
• Add the tofu, chives and gently toss (try not to break up the tofu), cover and let cook for 2 or more minutes, remove the cover and gently toss again, cover and let cook for 1 more minutes. (Further, if substituting spring scallions in place of chives, add at the same time the sesame oil is added).
• Mix the tapioca starch and water, remove the cover and then add ½ of the mixture and at the same time stir gently until the sauce becomes thick (add more of the tapioca mixture as needed).
• Add the shrimp (discard liquid), toss gently and cook until it has a pink coloring (do not over cook).
• Add sesame oil, briefly toss gently... now you are almost finished.
• In individual plates add some white rice and then the shrimp/black bean tofu sauce on the side or on top.
• Enjoy.
• NOTES:.
• This recipe is fairly mild in taste. However, you can add chili oil, chili peppers or other hot spices to taste.
• The Amoy Sichuan Spicy Noodle Sauce (fermented salted soybean, chili, garlic) is a great ingredient for this spicy dish or use other types of bean sauces (like Japanese miso paste, Chinese brown bean sauce) found in Asian food stores.
• Serve with white or other rice of your choice.

MAPO TOFU (SZECHUAN HOMESTYLE TOFU)

Steps:

• Mix marinade ingredients.
• Marinate pork for about 20 minutes.
• Cut the 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 leeks 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 black bean paste.
• Add the chili paste, then the stock, tofu, 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.
• Prep time is marinating time.

EXTRA TASTY MAPO DOUFU

Steps:

• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Spread Szechuan peppercorns over a baking sheet.
• Bake peppercorns under the preheated broiler until toasted, about 1 minute. Let cool; transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush into medium grinds.
• Heat a wok or saucepan over high heat. Add oil; cook ground pork until mostly browned and crumbly, about 1 minute. Move pork to 1 side of the pan with a spatula. Reduce heat to medium. Add chili bean paste; cook and stir until oil turns red, about 30 seconds. Stir pork into oil.
• Mix black bean sauce and dried chiles into the pork mixture; cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in chicken stock. Add tofu gently; shake pan back and forth until tofu is coated in sauce but not broken, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and sugar. Reduce heat to low; let simmer, about 5 minutes.
• Mix cornstarch in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons cold water. Increase heat to medium. Add to the tofu mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time, until sauce is almost as thick as ketchup and clings to the tofu, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in the green onions. Sprinkle toasted peppercorns on top.

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.