Mapo tofu

Submitted by Charles and Bethany Teames - added 8/19/26

⏱ 30 🍽 Serves 6

Mapo tofu is one of the most famous dishes of Sichuan province. It is a spicy, numbing (we’ll get to that) and thick tofu stew that is traditionally served over rice and is perfect for a quick meal after a cold day. The dish is usually made with a small amount of minced meat to flavor the sauce but this is frequently substituted for chopped mushrooms to make the dish vegetarian. The spicy numbing effect of this dish, called málà in Chinese cuisine, is the hallmark of Sichuan peppercorns. Sichuan peppercorn is a fruit that is not related in any way to peppercorn. It has a pleasant fruity, pine-like flavor and is not actually spicy at all. Instead, it contains a capsaicin-related molecule called hydroxy-alpha-sanshool which produces a mild paresthesia of the mouth and tongue by targeting D-hair afferent nerve fibers. (That's right! This recipe secretly contains a neurology lecture. For bonus points please localize the cranial nerves that are affected by this paresthesia.) I know this sounds strange but the sensation is really fun and seems to augment the flavors of anything savory you eat for the next 15 minutes or so.

Ingredients

• 600 g medium firm tofu
• .25-.5 cups neutral oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger, minced
• 100 g or 3.5 oz ground beef or pork or minced mushrooms.
• 2 tsp. Shaoxing rice wine or cooking sherry
• 2 Tbsp. Sichuan chili bean paste, also called broad bean paste or Pi Xian doubanjiang.
• 1 Tbsp. fermented black soy beans, rinsed and chopped (optional, can sub black bean paste)
• 1-3 tsp. chili powder to taste
• 1/4 tsp. five-spice powder
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 cups unsalted stock or water
• 1-2 Tbsp. corn starch, mixed with 3 Tbsp. water
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. MSG
• 1/2 tsp. dark chinese vinegar (optional)
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 stalk scallions, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Sichuan peppercorn

Instructions

1. Toast and grind your Sichuan peppercorns. This is going to be on medium-low heat for a couple minutes (dry pan, no oil). You’ll know it’s done once the Sichuan peppercorns are aromatic and leave little oil specks in the wok. This is gonna really heighten the flavor and numbingness of the peppercorns. Grind those up in a mortar-and-pestle or a coffee grinder.
2. Cut and simmer your tofu. Cut your tofu into small cubes, about a half inch. Then toss your tofu cubes in a pot of salted water that’s barely simmering. This does three things: first, the salt water gets out some moisture from the tofu and firms it up. Second, it’ll get out the so-called ‘grassy’ taste from the tofu; and third, it’ll slightly season the tofu. Simmer that for 2-3 minutes, then take the pot off the heat but continue to soak the tofu until we’re ready to use it.
3. 3.Fry your ground meat or mushrooms. Use the Chinese method, which is to add room temperature oil to an already fully heated pan followed immediately by the ingredients. This gives you the chance to break up the mince with your spatula. Fry for a couple minutes on medium high heat.
4. Chop up and add your chili bean paste in with your mince, frying on medium heat. Move on to the next step once your oil is a deep red, which should be about two to three minutes.
5. Fry your minced garlic ginger and your chili powder. Add these ingredients and fry it for about a minute.
6. Add the stock, season, and start to simmer. Add in your stock, the soy sauce, the Shaoxing cooking wine, and the sugar. Taste it – it should feel slightly undersalted at this juncture. Allow it to simmer for a couple minutes before we add in the tofu.
7. Drain your tofu, then add it to your pot. Make sure you’re not getting any extra water in there. Let the tofu simmer in the liquid as it’s reducing. Bring the heat back up to medium-high to get a hefty simmer going on (basically a small boil). Stir the tofu by gently pushing it back and forth with your spatula. At about the 3-minute mark, the liquid should start to boil away rapidly and resemble a thin sauce.
8. Season the sauce, then thicken it up with your slurry. Add the toasted ground peppercorns. Also add in half teaspoon of dark vinegar, stir and cook for about 30 seconds. Hit it with your slurry (1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water) to thicken, and turn off the heat. Stir in some sesame oil and MSG, then put in a bowl and garnish. Sprinkle some green onion slices (or cilantro) for maximum prettiness. Serve immediately over rice.

Photos from ward members

by Charles Teames

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