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Mapo Tofu

Name: Mapo Tofu
Cuisine: Sichuan Chinese
Ingredients: 400 grams soft tofu; 100 grams ground pork; 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (fermented broad bean and chili paste); 1 tablespoon chili oil; 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns; 1 teaspoon, minced ginger; 2 cloves, minced garlic; 2 stalks, chopped green onions; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 150 ml chicken broth; 1 teaspoon, mixed with water cornstarch; 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Mapo Tofu is a spicy and flavorful Sichuan dish featuring soft tofu set in a bold, oily, and pungent sauce made with fermented broad bean paste, chili oil, and Sichuan peppercorns. It is renowned for its unique 'mala' (numbing and spicy) flavor profile and is a staple of Sichuan cuisine, embodying the region's love for bold tastes and complex heat.

12 ingredients

spicynumbingsavoryumamiaromatic

Culinary DNA Preview

Sichuan Chinese70%

Chinese Other30%

Ingredients

soft tofu
400 grams
ground pork
100 grams
doubanjiang (fermented broad bean and chili paste)
2 tablespoons
chili oil
1 tablespoon
Sichuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon
ginger
1 teaspoon, minced
garlic
2 cloves, minced
green onions
2 stalks, chopped
soy sauce
1 tablespoon
chicken broth
150 ml
cornstarch
1 teaspoon, mixed with water
sesame oil
1 teaspoon

Method

Steps not available

Origin Story

Originating from Chengdu in Sichuan province during the late 19th century, Mapo Tofu was named after a pockmarked old woman who created this highly popular dish in her small eatery, becoming a symbol of Sichuan street food culture.

Culinary DNA

Ingredient ancestry breakdown

Sichuan Chinese70%

ingredients+techniques

Chinese Other30%

ingredient_origin

Techniques

stir-frying simmering toasting thickening

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