MAPO TOFU WITH CHINESE BLACK BEANS SICHUAN STYLE

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.