Mapo tofu with mushrooms
Silky tofu in a red, numbing Chengdu sauce, with a savoury mushroom crumble
Mapo tofu was first served at a small eatery in north Chengdu in the late 1800s, and it is still on the table at almost every Sichuan family dinner: wobbly cubes of tofu in a glossy red sauce that is hot from chilli bean paste and tingling from Sichuan pepper. Restaurants make it with minced beef or pork; here finely chopped shiitake and chestnut mushrooms are fried until crisp-edged and dark, so they give the same savoury bite. Spoon it over plenty of steamed rice, which soaks up the oil. Chef's tip: grind the Sichuan pepper fresh and scatter it on at the very end; ground ahead of time it loses its buzz.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the tofu
For the mushroom crumble
For the sauce
To finish
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer with 1 tsp salt. Slide in 1 ⅛ lb soft or silken tofu and leave for 3 minutes; this seasons it and firms the outside so the cubes hold together. Lift out gently with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat until it shimmers. Add 3 ½ oz fresh shiitake mushrooms and 5 ½ oz chestnut mushrooms and stir-fry for 5–6 minutes. They will release water and go quiet at first; keep going until the pan sizzles again and the crumble is dark brown and smells nutty.
6 minStep 3: Turn the heat to medium-low and push the mushrooms to one side. Fry 2 tbsp Pixian chilli bean paste (doubanjiang) in the oil for 1 minute, until the oil turns brick red and smells rich. Add 1 tbsp fermented black beans (douchi), 1 tsp Sichuan chilli flakes, 3 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp fresh ginger and stir for 30 seconds without letting the garlic brown.
2 minStep 4: Pour in 1 cup vegetable stock or water, add 1 tsp light soy sauce and ½ tsp sugar and bring to a simmer. Slide in the tofu and nudge it with the back of a spatula rather than stirring, so the cubes don't break. Simmer for 4 minutes so the tofu takes on the flavour.
4 minStep 5: Common mistake: stirring with a spoon and ending up with mash. Instead, stir 2 tsp cornflour and pour it in three additions, gently shaking the wok after each, until the sauce clings and turns glossy.
Step 6: Spoon into a warm bowl, scatter with 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns and 2 spring onions and serve straight away with steamed rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mapo tofu with mushrooms take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of fresh shiitake mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
- What can I use instead of chestnut mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
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