The Sichuan province is the birthplace of the famous Mapo Tofu. Fermented black beans, tofu, minced meat (often pork or beef), and Sichuan peppercorns make up this tasty and spicy dish. Because of the Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers used, the dish has a distinct fiery, numbing flavor.
A simple recipe for Mapo Tofu is this:
What you need:
1 cube-shaped block of firm tofu, weighing 14-16 ounces
one-fourth pound of ground beef or pork
2 teaspoons of black beans that have been fermented, drained, and chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
Two minced green onions
2 tablespoons of doubanjiang, a type of chili bean paste
tbsp of soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of ground and roasted Sichuan peppercorns
1/2 cup of broth, either chicken or veggie 2 teaspoons of oil, veggie
Optional, for thickening, use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water.
Finished rice, ready to be served
Here are the steps:
While the wok or large pan is heated over medium heat, add the vegetable oil. Combine the ground beef, chopped green onions, and minced garlic. Brown the meat in a skillet.
Toss in the chili bean paste and fermented black beans to the pan. For the flavors to come out, stir-fry for around one minute.
Throw in the cubes of tofu, sugar, and ground Sichuan peppercorns with the soy sauce and sugar in the pan. Be cautious not to smash the tofu as you gently mix the ingredients.
Add the vegetable or chicken broth. Simmer the ingredients for 5 to 7 minutes to let their flavors combine.
To thicken the sauce, you can add the cornstarch-water combination to the skillet if you want. Add one more minute of cooking time after a good stirring.
If you want it more spicy, add additional sugar or soy sauce to taste.
Top with cooked rice and serve hot.
You may customize the level of heat in this Mapo Tofu recipe by adjusting the quantity of chili bean paste and Sichuan peppercorns to your liking. Any circumstance calls for this scrumptious and reassuring meal. Have fun!