Active Time

　　25 min

　　Total Time

　　25 min

　　Mapo tofu is a specialty of China’s Sichuan province, and a paragon of the region’s famed ma la, or numbing and spicy, flavor. The complex flavor of this Chinese dish comes from three key ingredients: Sichuan chili flakes, umami-rich doubanjiang (a fermented chile–broad bean paste), and citrusy, tingling, mildly mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns (the berry of a prickly ash tree). Together, these ingredients bring a complex burn to the stew-like mapo tofu, which combines ground pork, douchi (fermented black beans), soy sauce, chicken stock, and cubes of creamy soft tofu for a quick-cooking wok meal. Thickened with cornstarch and garnished with green onions and ground Sichuan pepper, mapo tofu is best served over steamed white rice, with a refreshing, cooling beverage alongside.

　　We tested this mapo tofu recipe with several brands of fermented bean and chili paste, each varying in flavor and texture. Anything labeled “toban jiang” or “doubanjiang” will work, but it’s worth seeking out jars labeled Pixian or Chengdu for this icon of Sichuan cuisine.

　　Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in the July 2008 issue of ‘Gourmet’ and first appeared on Epicurious in August 2008.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Chili Bean Paste, pack of 2

　　$24 At Amazon

　　Sichuan Red Chili Powder

　　$12 At Amazon

　　Red Sichuan Peppercorns

　　$10 At Amazon

　　Fermented Black Beans

　　$8 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and cooled

　　1 (14- to 17-ounce) package tofu (not silken), rinsed

　　3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

　　5 ounces ground pork butt (not lean; ⅔ cup)

　　2½ tablespoons toban jiang (hot bean sauce)

　　1 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed, drained, and chopped

　　2 teaspoons Sichuan chili powder

　　1 cup chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth

　　2 teaspoon soy sauce

　　1 teaspoon sugar

　　1 tablespoons cornstarch

　　4 teaspoons water

　　4 scallions, chopped (½ cup)

　　Equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder; a well-seasoned 14-inch flat-bottomed wok.

　　

Step 1

Grind peppercorns in grinder and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Cut tofu into ¾-inch cubes and pat dry.

　　

Step 3

Heat wok over high heat until it begins to smoke, then pour oil down side and swirl to coat bottom and side. Stir-fry pork until no longer pink. Add bean sauce, black beans, and chile powder and stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in stock, soy sauce, sugar, tofu, and a pinch of salt. Simmer, gently stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Meanwhile, stir together cornstarch and water until smooth.

　　

Step 5

Stir cornstarch slurry mixture into stir-fry and simmer, gently stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in scallions and simmer 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with Sichuan pepper.

　　

Step 6

Serve with rice.

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