Mapo Tofu

Mapo Tofu is a sour sweet spicy Szechuan bean curd dish from China that dates back to the Qing Dynasty. The name actually comes from a famous lady Mrs. Chen, who was known to make the most delectable bean curd dish at her reputable Chen Xingcheng Restaurant. Ma is actually derived from the pock-face marks on her face, and Po means elderly woman in Mandarin, hence Mapo for the tofu she used to cook. 

This dish sounds a lot easier than it looks. Just like most Asian cuisines, it needs that perfect balance of sweet, sour, bitter and spice. It will surely test your capabilities but I hope this recipe breaks it down for you to make achieving that balance easier. Don’t forget to tag me or send me your recreations if you make this. I would love to share!

Serves 2 | 30 minutes l 

Ingredients:

  • 1 packet of silken organic tofu
  • 1 tbsp of pure black sesame oil
  • 1/2 tbsp of fresh black beans
  • 1 tsp of Sriracha powder
  • 1 tbsp light organic soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp of Amoy Mapo Tofu Sauce
  • 5 cloves of garlic (minced)
  • Half a medium sized onion (diced)
  • 3 stems of spring onion (chopped)
  • Half a red capsicum (diced)
  • Half a green capsicum (diced)
  • 1/2 cup water

Method:

  1. In a medium sized pan over medium to high heat, pour the oil and let it heat up for a few mins
  2. Add the garlic and onion and stir for a few mins until light golden
  3. Add the Sriracha powder, half of the spring onions, and the washed black beans to the pan and mix for a few more mins until fragrant
  4. Add the mapo tofu sauce, soy sauce, and stir in
  5. Add the water, and mix again. If the mixture is too salty, add a little more water to dilute it.
  6. Add the capsicum (green and red) and let the mixture come to a light simmer (5-7 mins)
  7. Prepare the tofu by dicing it into cubes, and placing it into a pot of salted boiling water for 5-7mins
  8. Gently drain the tofu using a meshed sieve and add it to the simmering mixture
  9. Gently stir it all together.
  10. In a small bowl, add 1 tsp of cornstarch and 1.5 tbsp of room temp water. Mix well and add to the tofu mixture.
  11. The mapo tofu sauce should be a little thicker in consistency and ready to serve!
  12. Garnish with spring onion.

All recipes and images are copyright and the intellectual property of ‘The Veggie Wifey’, and cannot be altered or redistributed for commercial or other purposes.

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: