Quick Weeknights · Chinese
Mapo Tofu
Silken tofu suspended in a numbing, brick-red chili sauce built on fermented broad bean paste, with crisped pork and a slick of chili oil on top.
Why This Works
Frying the doubanjiang in oil before introducing liquid blooms its fat-soluble pigments and aromatics, ensuring the sauce achieves its signature brick-red hue and deep umami profile. Utilizing a two-stage cornstarch addition allows for precise viscosity control, creating a velvet-like coating that clings to the silken tofu without compromising the structural integrity of the dish.
The Upgrade
Grind the Sichuan peppercorns fresh and add them only after the heat is off. Their numbing compound is volatile and cooking it away costs you the whole point of the dish.
Chef's Secret
Michelin TechniqueNever stir mapo tofu with a spoon. Push the wok back and forth by the handle so the cubes slide rather than break, which is how the tofu stays in whole pieces through the simmer.
Ingredients
Total time including resting: 25 min
Directions
Submerge tofu cubes in a pot of barely simmering salted water to firm them, then drain and set aside.
2 minHeat oil in a wok over medium-high heat and sear the ground pork until browned and crispy.
4 minReduce heat to medium, stir in the doubanjiang and chili flakes until the oil turns a deep, vibrant red.
2 minAdd the aromatic paste and stir briefly to release fragrance before pouring in the chicken stock.
1 minSlide in the drained tofu and simmer gently, nudging the pan to prevent breaking the delicate curds.
4 minStir in the cornstarch slurry in two increments until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.
2 minRemove from heat and finish by dusting with ground Sichuan peppercorns and garnishing with fresh scallions.
1 minWine Pairing
Off-dry Riesling
White Wine
The BottleDr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett
Capsaicin and tannin are enemies, so red is out. A touch of residual sugar quiets the chili heat while the razor acidity cuts the pork fat, and the wine's low alcohol keeps the Sichuan numbing tingle pleasant instead of searing.
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