Bean Curd Szechuan Style Ma Po Dofu Recipes

MA-PO TOFU (SPICY BEAN CURD WITH BEEF)

Steps:

• In dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, toast peppercorns, stirring, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and let cool, then grind in spice grinder to fine powder. Set aside.
• In large pot over moderately high heat, bring 4 cups water to boil. Add tofu, remove from heat, and let steep, uncovered, 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to medium bowl and set aside.
• In small bowl, whisk together hot bean paste, black-bean paste, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and chili powder. Set aside.
• In small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water. Set aside.
• In wok or heavy large sauté pan over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add beef, ginger, garlic, and scallions and stir-fry until meat is browned, about 1 minute. Add rice wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of moisture evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Add hot bean paste mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is incorporated and oil in pan turns red, about 1 minute.
• Add tofu, leeks, stock, light and dark soy sauces, and remaining 2 tablespoons oyster sauce and bring to boil. Whisk cornstarch mixture to recombine, then add to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until juices thicken slightly, about 1 minute.
• Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with Sichuan peppercorn powder and cilantro, if using. Serve immediately.

MA PO TOFU (SPICY SZECHWAN BEAN CURD)

Steps:

• Place 1 tablespoon of the chopped ginger in a medium-sized bowl, and reserve the remainder.
• Add the remaining marinade ingredients to the bowl (1 sliced spring onion, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoon of Chinese rice wine, 2 teaspoons cornstarch), and mix well.
• Add the ground beef or pork, give it another stir and set aside for approx 30 minutes.
• Place the tree ears or shiitake mushrooms in small bowl, pour over boiling water, and soak for about 15 minutes until they are soft and gelatinous.
• Drain the soaked tree ears, rinse, remove hard stems, and slice finely.
• Blanch the tofu in boiling water for 2- 3 minutes, then drain.
• Combine the garlic with the reserved ginger, and process together with a stick blender or spice grinder until they form the consistency of a thick paste.
• Heat a wok over a moderately high flame.
• Add the peanut oil, and just as it is starting to smoke, add the garlic/ginger paste and stir-fry, stirring continuously, for approximately 30 seconds.
• Next add the brown bean paste, Szechwan chile paste, water chestnuts and tree ears, and stir-fry for a further minute.
• Give the meat mixture a stir, add it to the wok, and continue to stir-fry over high heat for two to three minutes, until it loses its pinkish color.
• Toss in the tofu and the sliced green onions and continue to toss and fry for about 45 seconds.
• Finally, add the sugar and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
• Pour in the soy sauce& water, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to moderate and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the Szechwan pepper corns and stir thoroughly.
• If there appears to be too much liquid in the wok contents, thicken with a little cornstarch and water.
• Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and season to taste with salt.
• Serve with steamed rice, and garnish with cilantro.

BEAN CURD SZECHUAN-STYLE (MA PO DOFU)

Steps:

• Cut bean curd into .5-inch cubes, place in a colander and leave to drain for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl blend the marinade: 1 tsp of soy sauce, sherry, and sweet bean or hoisin sauce; add pork and stir to coat.
• Stir in 1 tsp of the oil and marinate for 15 minutes.
• Heat a wok or wide frying pan over high heat.
• When pan is hot, add remaining veg oil.
• When oil begins to heat (i.e. passes the "water droplet test" where a sprinkling of water thrown into the oil starts to crackle--careful here) add ginger and garlic.
• Stir once, then add pork and stir-fry until meat isn't pink any more, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in hot bean sauce (lajiaojiang or tobanjan).
• Add drained beancurd, the water and the 2 Tbsp soy sauce.
• Simmer for 3 minutes, then add green onion.
• Re-mix cornstarch and water with a fork, add to pan and cook, stirring, until sauce bubbles and thickens (this happens very quickly).
• Sprinkle with crushed szechuan peppercorns just before serving.
• Serve over large mounds of hot white rice.
• I have served this along with some stir-fried Chinese broccoli (gai lan) seasoned with a little oyster sauce, or some baby bok choy stir fried with a little sesame oil.
• For a vegetarian version, this recipe also works if you omit the meat.
• You could also try using some kind of veggie sausage, like Morningstar crumbles, in place of the pork.

MA-PO BEAN CURD

Steps:

• Drain tofu and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet and saute ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add pork, stirring to separate pieces and cook about 1 minute to brown.
• Add the scallions, chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil and chicken stock and stir well. Add the tofu and stir in gently; cook, uncovered, over low heat about 5 minutes. If necessary, add a little more stock. Serve over rice.

MAPO TOFU

Steps:

• Prepare the tofu: Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and put into a bowl. Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and when the boiling subsides, pour hot water over the tofu to cover. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large (14-inch) wok or (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns for 2 to 3 minutes, until super fragrant and slightly darkened. (A wisp of smoke is normal.) Let cool briefly, then pound with a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a spice grinder.
• Set a strainer over a measuring cup, then add the tofu to drain; reserve 1 1/2 cups of the soaking water, discarding the rest. Set the tofu and reserved soaking water near the stove with the peppercorns and other prepped ingredients for swift cooking.
• Reheat the wok or skillet over high. When hot - you can flick water in and it should sizzle and evaporate within seconds - swirl in the oil to evenly coat, then add the meat. Stir and mash into cooked and crumbly pieces, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 2 1/2 tablespoons doubanjiang, the douchi (if using), ginger and red-pepper flakes (if using). Cook about 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until things are vivid reddish brown. Add the soy sauce and sugar, stir to combine, then add the tofu. Gently stir or shake the pan to combine the ingredients without breaking up the tofu much.
• Add the reserved 1 1/2 cups soaking water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook for about 3 minutes, agitating the pan occasionally, to let the tofu absorb the flavors of the sauce.
• Slightly lower the heat and taste the sauce. If needed, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of doubanjiang for heat, a pinch of salt for savoriness, or a sprinkle of sugar to tame heat.
• Add the scallions and stir to combine. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, then stir in enough to the mapo tofu to thicken to a soupy rather than a gravy-like finish. Sprinkle in the ground peppercorns, give the mixture one last stir to incorporate, then transfer to a shallow bowl. Serve immediately with lots of hot rice.