Mapo Tofu is a famous Chinese dish from Sichuan region. This region is famous for spicy food and mapo tofu is no exception. In this dish soft tofu cubes and pork are braised in a spicy chili bean paste sauce. But I am sharing a vegetarian and vegan version. Also I have made it in a way which is suitable for people with gluten issues.
Mapo tofu is a simple recipe but offers the complex interplay of spices and flavor. It looks lovely on the dinner table when served warm with Jasmin rice for a satisfying and comforting meal. You can’t ask for more out of an Asian dish.
This recipe is very quick and easy and will take a maximum of 30 minutes from start to finish.
Essential Ingredients to make mapo tofu
If you cook Asian recipes you probably already have most of these ingredients stocked in your pantry or refrigerator at home. If not, don’t hesitate to make a trip to the Asian market. Using what you have already, you can make this dish very easily! Read on.
Aromatics – Ginger, scallion, and garlic are the most common aromatic ingredients in Asian recipes. These ingredients are the first things that hit the hot wok. In fact, scallions are used in abundance in this dish, both in and on top as a garnish.
Pork – Pork is the classic meat for this dish, but you can use other meat if you’d like, or omit the meat to make a vegetarian dish as I have made. I always use dry shiitake mushrooms to create a meaty texture if I do not eat a particular meat used in the recipe. You just need to soak the dry shiitake mushrooms in hot water to make them soft and pliable.
Doubanjiang – Doubanjiang is the main seasoning ingredients for Mapo tofu. It is a spicy, salty fermented bean paste. I could not find a bean sauce which was gluten free. In order to create this dish completely gluten free I used Korean style GF Kimchi hot sauce. It doesn’t have fermented soy beans so doesn’t give that authentic taste but works wonderfully!
Tofu – The authentic Chinese mapo tofu typically calls for Soft (or even silken) tofu. I used sunrise organic medium firm tofu as it is easier to handle and holds its shape in the sauce. Don’t worry, the texture might be slightly firm but it has a lovely smooth consistency.
Sichuan peppercorn – These are a must if you are cooking Chinese style mapo tofu. They are easier to find in Asian markets. But since I used Korean style kimchi sauce I opted for gohugaru crushed chili instead. This Korean chili pepper has an excellent chili flavor and vibrant red color, but it’s not mouth numbingly spicy like Sichuan peppercorn. If you like a lot of heat you can add some dried hot peppers to the oil.
Soy sauce – I used Tamari.
Slurry – Towards the end of the cooking process, a slurry is added to give the thin sauce a little bit of body. It is a combination of water with a thickening agent, you can either use potato starch or corn starch.
I hope you enjoy this recipe, and make it for your friends and family!
Soft tofu and shiitake mushrooms infused with intense savory and spicy flavors!
Ingredients
- 1 pound tofu (any level of firmness is fine) (I am using medium firm)
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon peeled ginger, minced
- 25 g dry shitaki mushrooms
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tsp (+) gochugaru chili powder or flakes (the one I used was really spicy I used 2 tsp)
- 1 medium onion (about 3/4 cup), cut into ½ inch chunks
- ½ of green bell pepper), chopped (optional)
- 8 green onions
- 1 cup unsalted vegetable stock or use the shiitake mushroom water
- 2 tablespoons GF kimchi hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon potato starch or corn starch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil or chili oil.
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Soak shitake mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes. Cover the bowl.
- Strain the liquid. Discard the stems and chop mushrooms into bite size pieces.
- Cut Tofu into small cubes (around 2 cm).
- Cut scallions into small pieces.
- Cut pepper into 2 cm pieces
- In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of water and put in corn or potato starch, combine well, set aside.
- While the shiitake mushrooms are soaking, heat up a large skillet or a pan over medium low heat.
- Add oil, garlic, ginger, scallions and regular onion, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until everything turns light brown and smells fragrant.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the shiitake mushrooms, frying for about 1 minute.
- Stir in soy sauce and hot sauce,black pepper and crushed chili flakes and stir to mix.
- Add the shitake mushroom water or vegetable broth, stir and bring to boil.
- Add the green pepper and tofu cubes and gently mix with a spoon, careful not to break up the tofu. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until the tofu turns soft.
- Once 90% done, give the cornstarch mixture a stir and add it to the pan. Stir until thickened. Add salt if needed.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil or chili oil.
- Transfer to a shallow bowl. Garnish with green onion.
- Serve with rice and some sprouts.
angiesrecipes
It’s one of my favourite Szechuan dishes. Yours looks awesome!
Judee
I’m not familiar with this type of recipe but if I left out the port- I would love the aromatics with the tofu. Sounds wonderful Balvinder.
Balvinder Ubi
Judee, there is no pork in my recipe.
Evi @ greenevi
OMG I love mapo tofu! I’ve never made it myself though, so I’m excited to try it. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Laura
I have seen Mapo Tofu on menus but really had no idea what it was nor what was in it. Thanks so much for all of the information and options here! My daughter is vegan and always looking for interesting spicy recipes to try! Thanks so much, Balvinder!
John / Kitchen Riffs
This looks really good, and your recipe has some interesting twists on the traditional. I like it, a lot. I’ve never quite understood the appeal of Sichuan peppercorn — the lip numbing that they induce just doesn’t seem all that interesting to me (I don’t mind it, but could do without it). Bet your addition of gochugaru is much more interesting. Anyway, good stuff — thanks.