Mapo Tofu Sichuan’s Fiery, Numbing Comfort Dish (Vegetarian Version)

Mapo Tofu: Sichuan’s Fiery, Numbing Comfort Dish (Vegetarian Version)

Byorevia
Prep15 minutes
Cook15 minutes
Serves3
Total30 min
2 min readJump to Recipe ↓

Mapo tofu comes from Sichuan province in China and is one of the most loved dishes in Chinese restaurants worldwide. Soft tofu sits in a bright red, spicy and tingling sauce. The classic version uses minced pork. This one uses mushrooms, so it stays vegetarian and keeps the same deep, savoury taste.

In This Guide
  1. Did You Know?
  2. Ingredients
  3. Method
  4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
  5. Storage and Reheating
  6. Quick Answers

Did You Know?

Mapo tofu comes from Chengdu in Sichuan province, China. It is said to be named after a woman known as Chen Mapo, or “pockmarked Mother Chen”, who sold it in the 1800s. Its mouth-tingling heat is called “ma-la”: “ma” is the numbing buzz from Sichuan pepper, “la” the chilli heat.

Ingredients

  • 400 g soft or firm tofu, cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger, 2 spring onions
  • 1 tbsp Sichuan chilli bean paste (doubanjiang), or 1 tbsp chilli sauce with 1 tsp miso
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 cup vegetable stock or water
  • 1/2 tsp ground Sichuan pepper (optional but classic)
  • 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp water

Method

  1. Soak the tofu cubes in hot salted water for 5 minutes. This firms them up. Drain gently.
  2. Heat oil in a wide pan. Fry the mushrooms on high heat until browned and dry. Remove.
  3. Add garlic, ginger and the chilli bean paste. Stir for 30 seconds until the oil turns red.
  4. Add stock, soy sauce, sugar and mushrooms. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Slide in the tofu and simmer for 5 minutes without stirring hard. Push gently with the back of a spoon.
  6. Add the cornflour slurry and cook until the sauce thickens. Sprinkle Sichuan pepper and spring onion.

Serve with steamed rice. For another wok style dish, see our veg hakka noodles.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Stirring hard. Tofu breaks easily. Slide it in and push gently.
  • Skipping the quick blanch in salted water. This firms the tofu and improves the texture.
  • Burning the Sichuan pepper. Toast it lightly, then crush it.

Storage and Reheating

Best eaten the same day. It keeps for 1 to 2 days in the fridge, though the tofu softens. Reheat gently.

Quick Answers

Can I use any tofu?

Soft or firm tofu both work. Silken tofu is the most delicate and needs the gentlest handling.

Where do I find Sichuan pepper?

Most large grocery stores and online spice shops sell it. Without it, the dish will taste spicy but not tingly.

Written byorevia

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