Mapo Tofu

I love spicy dishes and this one fits the bill.  Not only is it spicy, it's complex.  There are layers of flavor that delight the senses.  This recipe came to me by a posting on Facebook, not a subscription but from an old friend who loves great food also. I have to confess I've never had this dish before, I didn't know what it was about.  But once I saw the recipe, I knew I had to try it.

The original recipe was published by Saveur. For the most part I followed their recipe with only a few small changes, including dialing the heat back a little bit.  Not because it would be too spicy for my daughter, because this dish in any form would not work for her, I made a hamburger for her out the extra ground beef. Given the amount of heat listed, I thought it would be too spicy for the hubby.  See, I am actually the only real heat lover in the family, so I always have to pull back. I walked a line keeping it edible for him, but hot enough to be true to the dish.

This dish has a few ingredients that the average American probably does not keep on hand, so making this dish will require a a trip to an Asian market.  Don't let that deter you, it will be worth the trip.  Plus once you make it, you'll want to make it again.  It's very easy, and once you have the ingredients on hand you'll be ready to roll for the next time.

Mapo Tofu

Adapted from Saveur magazine's Mapo Tofu (Sichuan Tofu and Ground Beef in Red Chile Sauce)

Ingredients:

1 14-oz. package firm tofu, drained and cut into 1" cubes

Kosher salt, to taste

½ cup Sichuan red chile oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons  ginger, peeled and minced

6 oz. ground beef

4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

1 jalapeno pepper,  stemmed and minced

2 ½ tbsp. Chinese red chile bean paste

1 tbsp. Chinese fermented black soybean paste

1¼ cups chicken stock

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

¼ cup cornstarch, mixed with 6 tbsp. water

Steamed rice, for serving

• Place tofu in a bowl with 3 cups boiling salted water; let sit 15 minutes. Drain and spread on paper towels to dry; set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
• Add beef; cook, stirring and breaking up meat, until browned, 4–6 minutes.
• Add scallions, chiles, paste, and beans; cook, stirring about 2 minutes.
• Add stock and tofu; bring to a boil, stirring gently, so as not to break up the tofu.
• Add sugar and soy; cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
• While stirring, slowly add cornstarch mixture; cook until sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes more.
• Garnish with scallions. Serve with rice.