Mapo Tofu
My parents went to Sichuan, and I, who am working, can only satisfy my cravings with Sichuan cuisine. Also, I took the opportunity to try out the Dolly rapeseed oil I received.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare the above ingredients. Adjust the amounts of 'to taste' ingredients according to your preference. I went to the supermarket specifically for the minced beef but couldn't find any, so I had to rely on a food delivery app.
Cut the tofu into small cubes. The size depends on your preference. If you're bold enough, you can skip cutting it altogether. 😉
Boil water in a pot with a pinch of salt. Add the tofu and blanch for a few minutes, then drain.
Heat oil (rapeseed oil smells great when heated) in a wok until it's about 70% hot, with a slight smoke.
Add the minced beef and stir-fry quickly. You can add a little cooking wine to remove any gaminess.
Add minced ginger, scallion, garlic, ground Sichuan pepper, and chili flakes. Stir-fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute (use the white part of the scallion here and save the green part for later).
Add chopped Pixian bean paste (you can skip chopping if you're lazy) and stir-fry until the oil turns red.
Add stock or water—just enough to cover the tofu—and bring to a gentle boil.
Add the blanched tofu and stir gently (avoid breaking the tofu).
Simmer for 2-3 minutes. I found it too salty, so I added a bit of sugar (a Wuxi native's insistence).
Thicken with a little water starch and bring to a boil.
Plate the dish and sprinkle with the reserved scallion greens.
Clean the wok and heat a little more rapeseed oil.
Pour the hot oil over the tofu.
The final result is quite good—a perfect dish to pair with rice, living up to its reputation.