Sichuan Mapo Tofu

Mapo tofu is a Sichuan dish of soft tofu in a chilli-bean sauce seasoned with Sichuan pepper, which contributes its characteristic numbing sensation. Sarah Leung’s family-tested recipe uses silken tofu and minced pork, with ginger, garlic and spring onions. She developed the preparation after watching a chef demonstrate the dish on television during a stay in Beijing.^[1]

Her method first cooks the aromatics and pork, then adds ground Sichuan pepper and doubanjiang chilli-bean paste. Chicken broth forms the sauce, thickened with a cornstarch slurry, before chilli oil and tofu are gently mixed in. Spring onions finish the pan, with extra Sichuan pepper offered as a garnish. The soft tofu and minced meat remain separate textures within the sauce, and the finished dish is served with rice.^[1]