About This Recipe:
Mapo tofu is one of my favorite Chinese dishes that is quite easy to make at home. This is a great dish to make for people who don’t normally love tofu, because there is so much flavor from the pork and sauce, that the tofu is definitely not bland. You can adjust the amount of spicy bean sauce and chili oil for your spice level, but these are the perfect quantities for me. The cornstarch thickens the sauce and is a traditional thickening agent in Chinese cuisine, so don’t skip it! And of course, you need some glutinous jasmine rice to soak up that salty sauce.
Enjoy!
Ingredients (4 servings)
-1 lb soft tofu, cut into small cubes
-1/2 lb ground pork
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 tsp minced ginger
-2 tbls spicy bean sauce
-1 tbl chili oil (or chili paste)
-2 cups chicken broth
-1 tbl cornstarch
-1 tsp sesame oil
-1/3 cup scallions, sliced
-4 cups cooked jasmine rice
-Vegetable oil
Instructions (30 minutes)
1. In a large pot over medium high heat, pour in 1-2 tbls of vegetable oil and brown the ground pork until fully cooked (about 5 minutes.)
2. Add in the garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute. Stir in the spicy bean sauce and chili oil.
3. Mix the cornstarch with the chicken broth in a small bowl, and then add to the pot. Let the mixture thicken for 5 minutes.
4. Gently add in the tofu, and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Top with the sesame oil and scallions, and serve with rice.
The Corporate Cookbook 