Mapo tofu, also known as pockmarked grandmother's bean curd, is a popular and classic Chinese dish that combines the flavors of tender tofu, a spicy sauce, and aromatic minced pork. Originating in Sichuan province, this dish has become a staple in many Chinese restaurants and home kitchens around the world. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner looking to expand your culinary skills, finding the best recipe for mapo tofu bean curd is key to creating a delicious and satisfying meal. With so many variations and techniques available, this article will guide you through the process of selecting the best mapo tofu bean curd recipe, ensuring that your taste buds are in for a treat.
Let's cook with our recipes!
MA-PO TOFU (SPICY BEAN CURD WITH BEEF)
Provided by Shirley Cheng
Categories Wine Wok Ginger Stir-Fry Lunar New Year Ground Beef Tofu Spice Leek Soy Sauce
Yield Makes 4 portions
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- In dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, toast peppercorns, stirring, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and let cool, then grind in spice grinder to fine powder. Set aside.
- In large pot over moderately high heat, bring 4 cups water to boil. Add tofu, remove from heat, and let steep, uncovered, 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to medium bowl and set aside.
- In small bowl, whisk together hot bean paste, black-bean paste, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and chili powder. Set aside.
- In small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water. Set aside.
- In wok or heavy large sauté pan over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add beef, ginger, garlic, and scallions and stir-fry until meat is browned, about 1 minute. Add rice wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of moisture evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Add hot bean paste mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is incorporated and oil in pan turns red, about 1 minute.
- Add tofu, leeks, stock, light and dark soy sauces, and remaining 2 tablespoons oyster sauce and bring to boil. Whisk cornstarch mixture to recombine, then add to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until juices thicken slightly, about 1 minute.
- Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with Sichuan peppercorn powder and cilantro, if using. Serve immediately.
MAPO TOFU
Even if you're not keen on tofu, give this mapo tofu a go. It's hot and really strongly flavoured thanks to chilli bean paste, fermented black beans and more
Provided by Diana Henry
Categories Dinner, Lunch, Main course, Supper
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Get all the ingredients ready before you start cooking and set them out in bowls. Drain the tofu and cut it into 1.5cm cubes. Put it in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Leave this while you get on with everything else.
- Heat a wok and pour in the groundnut oil. Get this really hot and fry the pork until it's crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon but leave the oil behind.
- Add the bean paste and cook, stirring for a few mins until fragrant, then add the black beans, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, for a min or so, then add the stock and let it bubble away.
- Stir the cornflour and water into the mixture in the wok, drain the tofu and stir it into the sauce. Tip in the spring onions and the mince.
- Add the chilli oil, if using, and sprinkle over the Sichuan peppercorns. The sauce shouldn't need seasoning with salt, as many of the ingredients are salty already. Serve with boiled white rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 310 calories, Fat 21 grams fat, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 6 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 2 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 22 grams protein, Sodium 1 milligram of sodium
MAPO TOFU (BEAN CURD)
We grew up eating this in Chinese restaurant. It's quite expensive so i researched and came up with this recipe. Really good! I have been making it for 7 years now.
Provided by shygirl
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 50m
Yield 6-8 , 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cut bean curd into 2 forming two triangles.
- You should have 16 all in all.
- Fry bean curd till golden.
- Set aside.
- Heat a little oil and stir fry garlic.
- Add in ground pork or shrimp.
- Saute till no longer pink.
- Add black bean garlic sauce, garlic sauce, soy and stock.
- Let simmer awhile.
- Correct seasoning, add more chili if you want it hotter.
- Thicken with cornstarch mixed in water.
- Put back all the cooked tofu in the sauce.
- Let it simmer in low heat until flavor gets absorbed.
- Garnish with spring onions.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 445.7, Fat 45.4, SaturatedFat 8, Cholesterol 30, Sodium 452.4, Carbohydrate 2, Fiber 0.1, Sugar 0.2, Protein 8.3
MAPO TOFU
You can order mapo tofu from many Chinese restaurants, but it's also quite doable at home. You can find the pivotal fermented chile and broad (fava) bean sauce or paste called doubanjiang (sometimes rendered as "toban djan") at a Chinese market. Look for a doubanjiang from Pixian, in Sichuan, and bear in mind that oilier versions have extra heat but may lack an earthy depth. Sichuan peppercorns add mala - tingly zing - and fermented black beans, called douchi, lend this dish a kick of umami. Ground beef is traditional, but many cooks choose pork; you can also try lamb, turkey thigh or a plant-based meat alternatives. Add chile flakes for extra fire, and balance mapo's intensity with rice and steamed or stir-fried broccoli.
Provided by Andrea Nguyen
Categories dinner, lunch, weeknight, grains and rice, meat, one pot, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings (about 4 cups)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Prepare the tofu: Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and put into a bowl. Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and when the boiling subsides, pour hot water over the tofu to cover. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large (14-inch) wok or (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns for 2 to 3 minutes, until super fragrant and slightly darkened. (A wisp of smoke is normal.) Let cool briefly, then pound with a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a spice grinder.
- Set a strainer over a measuring cup, then add the tofu to drain; reserve 1 1/2 cups of the soaking water, discarding the rest. Set the tofu and reserved soaking water near the stove with the peppercorns and other prepped ingredients for swift cooking.
- Reheat the wok or skillet over high. When hot - you can flick water in and it should sizzle and evaporate within seconds - swirl in the oil to evenly coat, then add the meat. Stir and mash into cooked and crumbly pieces, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 2 1/2 tablespoons doubanjiang, the douchi (if using), ginger and red-pepper flakes (if using). Cook about 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until things are vivid reddish brown. Add the soy sauce and sugar, stir to combine, then add the tofu. Gently stir or shake the pan to combine the ingredients without breaking up the tofu much.
- Add the reserved 1 1/2 cups soaking water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook for about 3 minutes, agitating the pan occasionally, to let the tofu absorb the flavors of the sauce.
- Slightly lower the heat and taste the sauce. If needed, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of doubanjiang for heat, a pinch of salt for savoriness, or a sprinkle of sugar to tame heat.
- Add the scallions and stir to combine. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, then stir in enough to the mapo tofu to thicken to a soupy rather than a gravy-like finish. Sprinkle in the ground peppercorns, give the mixture one last stir to incorporate, then transfer to a shallow bowl. Serve immediately with lots of hot rice.
MA-PO BEAN CURD
Provided by Marian Burros
Categories dinner, main course
Time 15m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Drain tofu and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Heat oil in nonstick skillet and saute ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add pork, stirring to separate pieces and cook about 1 minute to brown.
- Add the scallions, chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil and chicken stock and stir well. Add the tofu and stir in gently; cook, uncovered, over low heat about 5 minutes. If necessary, add a little more stock. Serve over rice.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 482, UnsaturatedFat 22 grams, Carbohydrate 16 grams, Fat 28 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 51 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 351 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams
MAPO TOFU WITH CHINESE BLACK BEANS SICHUAN STYLE
Tofu (Japanese name for Bean Curd (Chinese name Dou Fo) is high in protein, inexpensive and blends very well with many foods. There are different variations of tofu from the cuisines of Korea, Japan and China. Plus each country has variations such as silken (very soft), soft, medium or firm tofu. I recommend using a medium or firm tofu and a Sichuan Spicy Noodle Sauce for this tasty dish. This dish can be very spicy or mild according to your personal taste� see notes below.
Provided by SkipperSy
Categories Pork
Time 45m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- PREPARATION.
- Rinse briefly the salted black beans in water to remove some of the salt and then add 2 or more tablespoons rice wine and soak for 15 minutes, set aside.
- Add grated ginger to the salted black beans.
- In a bowl add the ground meat and 1 tablespoon soya sauce and mix, set aside.
- In a measuring cup add 1/2 to 3/4 cup stock, oyster sauce, Amoy Sichuan Spicy Noodle Sauce, garlic, chili paste with garlic, sugar, chili peppers, set aside.
- Cut up the tofu into bite size cubes, set aside.
- In a cup add 3 tablespoons tapioca starch, 4 tablespoons stock, mix to create a watery mixture, 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 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.
- Mix the tapioca starch and stock, 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 scallions and sesame oil, briefly toss gently� now you are almost finished.
- In individual plates add some white rice and the black bean & tofu sauce on the side or on top.
- Enjoy.
- NOTES:.
- You can substitute ingredients like using sweet oyster sauce or eliminating the salted black beans and also reducing a little of the spicy ingredients for a milder dish.
- The photo shows that I used scotch bonnet peppers which are extremely hot, so substitute other types to your liking.
- You can use the soft tofu, but it will break down more easily when stirring and also release more liquid as well.
- If you add to much stock (1/2 to 3/4 is good) or the softer types of tofu the sauce will become to thinner� and you will then need to add more of the tapioca starch mixture for a thicker sauce.
- The Amoy Sichuan Spicy Noodle Sauce (fermented salted soybean, chili, garlic) is a great ingredient for this spicy dish or use other types of sauce found on Asian food store shelves.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 209.2, Fat 15.6, SaturatedFat 3.2, Cholesterol 10.2, Sodium 578.7, Carbohydrate 4.9, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 1.3, Protein 11
Tips:
- Use firm or extra-firm tofu. This type of tofu will hold its shape better in the dish.
- Press the tofu before cooking. This will help to remove excess water and make the tofu more flavorful.
- Use a variety of vegetables. This will add color, flavor, and texture to the dish.
- Don't overcook the tofu. Tofu is a delicate protein and can easily become tough if overcooked.
- Serve Mapo Tofu with rice. This is the traditional way to serve this dish.
Conclusion:
Mapo Tofu is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is a great way to use up leftover tofu and vegetables. This dish is also very versatile and can be easily adapted to your own taste preferences. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give Mapo Tofu a try!
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