Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) Recipe

Delicate Szechuan spice with the soft texture of tofu :) 

Spicy chili tofu mixed with marinated minced pork in Szechuan style served over rice

> Origin: Chinese
> Cost: Inexpensive
> Ease: Moderate

I always loved Mapo Tofu. It's a really easy dish to make if you're feeling Chinese food, but you don't want to put any effort in. The hardest part would be finding the ingredients in a non-Asian-invaded city (*cough*Hamilton*cough*). That being said, I imported all my materials (firm tofu, chili sauce, black bean sauce) from my hometown, Markham, when I go back for the weekends. This dish is really customizable. I know there are many people who prefer it to be less 'saucy' and more dry, so they add less water and oil when cooking. Some people like it more spicy, others like it more black bean-flavoured. That being said, this recipe is very 'traditional' restaurant style (minus the MSG). Best is served over fresh jasmine rice, but for the sake of I-am-a-poor-student-and-I-have-no-rice-ness, I used short grain rice, which honestly wasn't bad. I hear there's also a Japanese variation of Mapo Tofu. I'd like to try that someday...... in Japan.

Mapo Tofu Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 block soft tofu (about 1 pound), drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 6 ounces ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced at an angle (or a handful of scallions can be substituted)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chili bean paste
• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
• 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons cold water

Methods:

1. Heat peanut oil in a wok over high heat. Add pork and stir-fry until crispy and starting to brown but not yet dry. Reduce heat to medium, then add the garlic and leeks and stir-fry until fragrant.
2.  Add chili bean paste, black beans, and ground Szechuan pepper, and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the oil is a rich red color.
3.  Pour in the stock and stir well. Mix in the drained tofu gently by pushing the back of your ladle or wok scoop gently from the edges to the center of the wok or pan; don't stir or the tofu may break up. Season with the sugar, soy sauce, and salt to taste. 
4. Simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing the tofu has absorb the flavors of the sauce. Then add the cornstarch mixture in 2 or 3 stages, mixing well, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. (Don't add more than you need).
5. Serve while still hot in a deep plate or wide bowl.

Original recipe from: (Still trying to find it!)