Mapo Tofu
One of 35 entries · Provenance 1000 — Chinese
Chengdu, Sichuan province. Named after the woman who created it — a pockmarked (ma = pockmark) old woman (po) who ran a small restaurant near Chengdu. The dish is documented from the Qing Dynasty in the late 19th century.
Mapo tofu (Ma Po Dou Fu) is the masterwork of Sichuan cooking — silken tofu in a sauce of doubanjiang (fermented broad bean and chilli paste), black beans, ground pork, and the mala of Sichuan peppercorn-dried chilli. The tofu should be silken enough to quiver; the sauce should be deep red, glistening with chilli oil, and coat the tofu rather than pool around it. This is arguably the greatest use of tofu in any cuisine.
- Korean sundubu jjigae (silken tofu stew with gochujang — the Korean parallel); Japanese agedashi tofu (deep-fried tofu in dashi broth — a gentler, delicate Japanese approach to tofu in broth); Indian palak tofu (Indian spinach curry with tofu instead of paneer — the Western adaptation).
Chengdu baijiu (Wuliangye or Jiannanchun) — the fiery grain spirit of Sichuan is the authentic pairing, consumed in small glasses alongside the ma la heat. Or a cold Chongqing Beer (Chongqing Lager) — the local lager from the city near Chengdu.
Doubanjiang (Pi Xian brand — Pi County, Sichuan): the fermented broad bean paste that defines Sichaun cooking. Chop finely before adding to the wok — the bean paste should be broken down The mala: Sichuan peppercorns bloomed in oil first, then the doubanjiang fried until the oil turns deep red (about 2 minutes) — this chilli oil infusion is the flavour base Ground pork (30% fat): cooked with the doubanjiang, absorbing the red oil. The pork is a seasoning, not the protein star — the tofu is Silken tofu (kinugoshi): cut into 2cm cubes, added gently to the sauce, simmered for 4 minutes only — the tofu absorbs the sauce on the surface while remaining silk throughout Broth: 100ml chicken or pork broth added to create the liquid for the tofu to simmer in Cornstarch slurry: a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed in cold water, stirred into the sauce to thicken it to a coating consistency
Firm tofu: the texture is wrong — only silken or soft tofu for mapo tofu Under-frying the doubanjiang: the raw, fermented smell does not cook off, and the sauce is sharp rather than deep Too much cornstarch: the sauce turns glue-like. It should coat, not congeal
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- 600g silken tofu — cut into 2cm cubes
- 200g ground pork
- 30g Doubanjiang (spicy bean paste)
11 ingredients · 9 steps
Common Questions
Why does Mapo Tofu taste the way it does?
Chengdu baijiu (Wuliangye or Jiannanchun) — the fiery grain spirit of Sichuan is the authentic pairing, consumed in small glasses alongside the ma la heat. Or a cold Chongqing Beer (Chongqing Lager) — the local lager from the city near Chengdu.
What are common mistakes when making Mapo Tofu?
Firm tofu: the texture is wrong — only silken or soft tofu for mapo tofu Under-frying the doubanjiang: the raw, fermented smell does not cook off, and the sauce is sharp rather than deep Too much cornstarch: the sauce turns glue-like. It should coat, not congeal
What dishes are similar to Mapo Tofu?
Korean sundubu jjigae (silken tofu stew with gochujang — the Korean parallel); Japanese agedashi tofu (deep-fried tofu in dashi broth — a gentler, delicate Japanese approach to tofu in broth); Indian palak tofu (Indian spinach curry with tofu instead of paneer — the Western adaptation).