Spicy Mapo Tofu

🛒 Ingredients

• #Tofu;
• 400 g soft or silken tofu — cut gently into 2 cm cubes
• #Aromatics & Base;
• 2 tbsp fermented black beans (douchi) — rinsed and roughly crushed
• 3 garlic cloves — minced.. 1 tbsp fresh ginger — finely grated
• 2–3 scallions — white parts minced, green parts sliced for garnish
• 1–2 tbsp vegetable oil
• #Spicy Sauce;
• 1½ tbsp chili bean paste (doubanjiang) — vegan version.. 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar.. ½–1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns — adjust to taste
• 1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry... 150 ml vegetable broth
• 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water — slurry
• #Optional Heat;
• 1–2 tsp chili flakes or fresh chili — extra spice to taste

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Prep tofu gently: Slice silken tofu into even cubes. Place in a bowl of warm lightly salted water until needed — this keeps shape firm and prevents crumbling. Drain well before cooking.

2. 2

   Bloom the aromatics: Heat oil in a wok or pan over medium-low heat. Add doubanjiang, fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Stir-fry gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and oil turns rich red — do not burn.

3. 3

   Build the sauce: Pour in rice wine, vegetable broth, soy sauce, sugar, and half the ground Sichuan pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then taste and adjust salt or sweetness.

4. 4

   Simmer tofu: Slide drained tofu cubes carefully into the sauce. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes — stir very gently so tofu stays intact and absorbs the beautiful red sauce.

5. 5

   Thicken to glossy perfection: Stir the cornstarch slurry slowly while gently swirling the pan. Simmer 1–2 minutes more until sauce thickens into a rich, glossy coating that clings to the tofu.

6. 6

   Finish & serve: Sprinkle generously with remaining ground Sichuan pepper and scallion greens. Enjoy immediately over steamed rice — hot, silky, and wonderfully numbing-spicy!