Iron Chef Chen's Mapo Tofu
Adapted from food.com
Serves 2-3
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500g/1 pound regular tofu (not silken)
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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90g/3 ozs minced pork
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1/2 cup green garlic chives, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For spicy bean paste:
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1 tablespoon Chinese chili bean sauce (or toubanjan or doubanjiang)
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1 tablespoons Chinese ground bean sauce (tenmienjan, tenmenjan ir tenmenjiang)
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2 teaspoons fermented black beans, chopped finely
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1 dried chilli, chopped finely (or 1/2 - 1/2 teaspoon ichimi togarashi pepper) I used dried chilli
For stock mixture:
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1 teaspoon chilli oil
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3/4 cup chicken stock
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1 tablespoon sake or 1 teaspoon dry sherry
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1 teaspoon soy sauce
To finish:
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1 teaspoon sesame oil
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1.5 tablespoons cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 1.5 tablespoons cold water
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1 tablespoon szechuan pepper (optional)
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Boiled white rice to serve
Buyer's tip: The Chinese chilli bean sauce, ground bean sauce and fermented black beans can be found at Asian grocery stores
Step 1 - Cut tofu into cubes-the recipes says 1 inch cubes which we did but I prefer slightly smaller ones. Heat a saucepan of water and add the salt and tofu pieces gently. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to medium high for 8-10 minutes and then remove from heat and drain gently.
Step 2 - While the tofu is cooking, in a small bowl mix the chilli bean sauce, ground bean sauce, chopped fermented black beans and dried chilli and set aside. In a jug measure the stock, chilli oil, sake or sherry and soy sauce and set aside. Then in a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water and set aside.
Step 3 - When the tofu is done, heat a wok on high and add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the pork and brown, stirring carefully to separate. Then add the spicy bean paste above cooking for 1 minute.
Step 4 - Then add the stock mixture as well as the tofu pieces. Stir fry very gently for 1-2 minutes.
Step 5 - Take the wok off the heat and cool for a minute so that the sauce isn't bubbling. Add the cornstarch and stir very gently. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve with Szechuan pepper if desired. But don't forget the rice! It wouldn't be the same without it :)