How to Prepare Mapo Tufo Dish

Mapo Tofu

Serving Size: 1 ½ cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pack of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Firm

• 3 cups of water

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 170g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems separated and caps finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 4 small dried red chillies, seeded and finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons freshly ground Sichuan pepper

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced ginger

• 1 tablespoon whole fermented black beans (douchi)

• 1 ½ tablespoons Sichuan chili pepper and fava bean paste (doubanjiang)

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• Cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water)

• 1 spring onion, sliced, divided

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, salt, and shiitake mushroom stems to a boil. Reduce the heat and carefully add the tofu cubes. Let them simmer gently while you prepare steps 2-5. Do not stir.

2. In a wok or large skillet over medium-low heat, add the vegetable oil. When hot, add the chiles and Sichuan pepper. Stir for 1 minute to infuse the oil.

3. Add the garlic, ginger, and fermented black beans. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add the shiitake mushroom caps and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase the heat if necessary.

5. Add the chili and fava bean paste, sesame oil and sugar, then stir for 1 minute.

6. From the saucepan with tofu and shiitake, carefully remove about 1 cup of the broth, discarding any stems and leaving the tofu in the saucepan. Add the broth to the wok/pan and stir. Add more broth if desired; it will thicken in the next step.

7. Whisk the cornstarch slurry and immediately add it to the wok/pan, stirring to distribute evenly. The sauce will thicken after 1-2 minutes. Add more slurry if you want a thicker sauce.

8. Add most of the spring onion slices to the sauce (reserve a few green slices for garnish), then toss.

9. Turn off the heat of the saucepan with the tofu and shiitake, then carefully remove all the tofu cubes with a slotted spoon (discarding any stems) and add them to the wok/pan. Gently toss the tofu cubes into the sauce, being careful not to break them up.

10. Remove from heat, serve with rice and garnish with the green spring onion slices.

ADVICE

• Preparation: For this recipe, it is essential to prepare all the ingredients in advance (mise en place). The process is quick and some ingredients may taste bitter if burned.

• Tofu: The tofu is heated in a light mushroom broth to add flavor and keep the texture soft and intact. An alternative method is to skip the mushroom broth and heat the tofu cubes directly in the sauce.

• Flavor: This vegan version uses shiitake mushrooms instead of traditional ground pork, without sacrificing the complexities of flavor and spice.

• Spices and Saltiness: You can adjust the spiciness level with chili peppers, Sichuan pepper, and chili-bean paste.

VEGAN: This recipe uses shiitake mushrooms instead of ground pork and Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Firm, a complete source of protein.

GLUTEN FREE: Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Firm is certified gluten free. Check other ingredient labels to confirm.