Spicy and Flavorful Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl: Homemade Deliciousness
Spicy Mapo Tofu
This Mapo Tofu recipe is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for spooning over fluffy rice! It combines the goodness of healthy tofu with a zesty, flavorful sauce. It’s a delightful dish that many people love to enjoy with a hearty bowl of rice.
Main Ingredients
- 1 block Firm Tofu (for stir-frying, approx. 300-350g)
- 150g Ground Pork
- 1/2 Onion (approx. 75g)
- 1 Red Chili
- 1 Green Chili (use 2 for extra spice)
- 1/3 stalk Green Onion (white part preferred, approx. 50g)
- 1 stalk Scallion (for garnish, approx. 10g)
- 2 Tbsp Chili Oil
- 1 cup Water (200ml)
- 1/2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Wine (e.g., Mirin)
- 1.5 Tbsp Doubanjiang (Spicy Bean Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 0.5 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes (for color and heat)
- 0.5 Tbsp Sugar (adjust to taste)
- 0.5 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 0.25 tsp Ginger Powder (optional, helps remove gamey smell)
- Pinch of Salt (for blanching tofu)
- Pinch of Black Pepper (for seasoning)
Slurry (for thickening)
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch or Potato Starch
- 2 Tbsp Water
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Wine (e.g., Mirin)
- 1.5 Tbsp Doubanjiang (Spicy Bean Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 0.5 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes (for color and heat)
- 0.5 Tbsp Sugar (adjust to taste)
- 0.5 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 0.25 tsp Ginger Powder (optional, helps remove gamey smell)
- Pinch of Salt (for blanching tofu)
- Pinch of Black Pepper (for seasoning)
Slurry (for thickening)
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch or Potato Starch
- 2 Tbsp Water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the tofu for optimal texture. Cut the tofu into approximately 2cm cubes. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Once boiling, carefully add the tofu cubes and blanch them for 1 minute. This helps the tofu firm up, preventing it from breaking apart easily, and allows it to absorb the sauce better. Drain the blanched tofu and set it aside.
Step 2
Now, let’s prepare the vegetables. Finely mince the onion, red chili, and green chili. For a spicier kick, you can increase the amount of green chili or leave the seeds in. Finely chop the white part of the green onion. Chop the scallions thinly for garnish and set them aside.
Step 3
Let’s mix the sauce ingredients to create the flavorful base for our Mapo Tofu. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, 1.5 tablespoons of doubanjiang, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 0.5 tablespoon of red pepper flakes, 0.5 tablespoon of sugar, 0.5 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 0.25 teaspoon of ginger powder. Stir everything together until well combined.
Step 4
Now, we begin stir-frying. Heat 2 tablespoons of chili oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped green onion (white part), minced red chili, green chili, and minced onion. Stir-fry until fragrant, allowing the vegetables’ sweetness and aroma to infuse into the oil. Sautéing thoroughly at this stage is key for developing depth of flavor.
Step 5
Once the aromatics are fragrant, add the 150g of ground pork. Break up any clumps and stir-fry until the pork is no longer pink. Next, add the pre-mixed sauce ingredients to the pan. Stir well to coat the pork and vegetables evenly, and continue to cook for about 1 minute.
Step 6
After the pork and sauce have melded together, pour in 1 cup (200ml) of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for another 2 minutes. This allows the flavors to deepen and meld together beautifully.
Step 7
As the sauce comes to a boil, gently add the blanched tofu cubes to the pan. Stir carefully to avoid breaking the tofu. Now, it’s time to thicken the sauce. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (or potato starch) and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Gradually add this slurry to the simmering Mapo Tofu, stirring constantly until you achieve your desired thick consistency. Once thickened, continue to simmer for another 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook out the raw starch taste.
Step 8
Finally, let’s add the finishing touches for an irresistible aroma and flavor. Just before turning off the heat, drizzle in 0.5 tablespoon of sesame oil and sprinkle the thinly sliced scallions over the top as a garnish. Give it a gentle final stir to combine everything. Your delicious, glossy Mapo Tofu is ready! Serve generously over a bowl of warm, fluffy rice and enjoy.
