Authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu with Toasted Peppercorn
Restaurant-style mapo tofu with crisp-fried beef and freshly toasted, hand-ground Sichuan pepper for a sharp, tingling heat.
Method
Put the whole Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan and toast over low heat for , until fragrant and a shade darker. Let them cool, then grind finely with a mortar or crush under the flat of a knife. A burnt smell means they went too far.
Add in this stepWhole Sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp
low heatCut the tofu into 2 cm cubes. Bring water to a boil in a 18 cm pot, add the salt, lower to medium-low heat so the water barely trembles and poach the tofu for . Leave it sitting in the hot water. A rolling boil will break the cubes.
Add in this stepSilken or soft tofu 300 gSalt (for blanching the tofu) 1 tsp
medium-low heatHeat the oil in a 26 cm wok or pan, add the beef and stir-fry over medium-high heat for . Keep going until all the liquid has cooked off, the meat is brown and crisp and the oil looks clear again.
Add in this stepCooking oil 2 tbspGround beef 120 g
medium-high heatTurn down to low heat, add the doubanjiang, black beans, pepper flakes, garlic and ginger and fry for , until the oil turns a vivid red and smells toasty.
Add in this stepDoubanjiang (chili bean paste) 1½ tbspFermented black beans, rinsed and chopped 1 tspRed pepper flakes 1 tspMinced garlic 1 tbspMinced ginger ¾ tbsp
low heatSplash the Shaoxing wine around the edge of the pan, then add the stock, soy sauce and sugar. When it boils, slide in the drained tofu and simmer over medium heat for . Do not stir with a spatula; push gently from the edge with the back of a ladle or shake the pan.
Add in this stepShaoxing wine (or dry sherry) 1 tbspChicken stock 220 mlLight soy sauce 1 tspSugar ½ tsp
medium heatMix the starch with the water and add it over medium heat in three additions, shaking the pan after each, for about in total. When the sauce clings glossily to the tofu, turn off the heat and scatter over the green onion and ground peppercorns.
Add in this stepPotato starch ¾ tbspWater for the starch 1½ tbspLeek or thick green onion, thinly sliced 25 g
medium heat
Cook's tip
You can skip the black beans, but the dish loses some depth. Thinly sliced garlic scapes instead of green onion taste even closer to Sichuan. Never add the starch slurry all at once or it will form lumps.
Cooking it at camp
Toast and grind the peppercorns at home and pack them in a small airtight jar. On a weak burner the beef takes longer to crisp, so be patient until every bit of moisture has cooked off.