Description
Mapo Tofu is a spicy Szechuan dish featuring tofu in a rich, flavorful sauce made with chili paste, fermented bean paste, and a distinctive numbing effect from Szechuan peppercorns. Making it in a rice cooker simplifies the process.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 lb ground pork or beef (substitute for any ground meat)
- 1 package silken tofu
- 2–4 servings rice (I recommend Japanese short-grain or medium grain for the most authentic Japanese experience!)
- Chopped green onions and roasted sesame seeds for garnishing (optional)
Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
- 1/2 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns or pepper oil (optional; add more or less depending on your preference)
- 3/4 cup chicken, beef, or bone broth
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional; to thicken the sauce)
Instructions
- To your rice cooker, add your ground meat. Turn on the rice cooker and cook until the meat is browned.
- While the meat is cooking, prepare your tofu by dicing it into large cubes.
- When the meat is done cooking, add each of your sauce ingredients and mix to thoroughly coat the meat. Then add your tofu, being careful not to over-mix in order to avoid breaking up the tofu too much.
- Serve over rice or noodles and garnish with green onions and roasted sesame seeds.
Notes
I like to make this when I have leftover rice to eat with it, or I love eating it with pre-packaged rice that you just heat up in the microwave for a couple minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2