Ma Po Tofu

Ma Po Tofu is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan cuisine, and its hot and spicy flavor best exemplifies the characteristics of this category. This course is supposed to have been invented in 1862 by a woman named Chen Mapo, hence the name. In the final stage, sprinkle red and hot broth, ground beef, and sliced green onion over the delicate tofu to enhance the flavor.

Ingredients

• ½ cup oil(divided)
• 1-2 fresh Thai bird chili peppers (thinly sliced)
• 6-8 dried red chilies (roughly chopped)
• 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns (powdered or finely ground, reserving 1/4 teaspoon for garnish at the end; if you are sensitive to spice, adjust to taste, using less than 1 tablespoon if needed)
• 3 tablespoons ginger (finely minced)
• 3 tablespoons garlic (finely minced)
• 8 ounces ground pork (225g)
• 1-2 tablespoons spicy bean sauce (depending on your desired salt/spice levels)
• 2/3 cup low sodium chicken broth (or water)
• 1 pound silken tofu (450g, cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 scallion (finely chopped)

Instructions

• To begin, we toast the chilies. You can skip this step if you have homemade roasted chili oil. Warm-up your wok or a small saucepan on low heat. 14 cup oil should be added, along with the fresh and dried peppers. Stir occasionally and cook until the peppers are fragrant, about 5 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Take the pan off the heat and set it aside.
• In your wok, heat the remaining 14 cups of oil over medium heat. Stir in the ground Sichuan peppercorns every 30 seconds for 30 seconds. Stir in the ginger. Add the garlic after 1 minute. Fry for 1 minute more, then increase the heat to high and add the ground pork. Break up the meat and fry it until it's done.
• Stir in the spicy bean sauce until well combined. Stir in 23 cups of chicken broth to the wok. Allow this to simmer for about a minute. While that is happening, prepare your tofu and combine 14 cups of water and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Stir in the cornstarch mixture to your sauce. Allow it to bubble until the sauce thickens. (If it becomes too thick, add a splash of more water or chicken stock.)
• Then add your previously prepared chili oil, peppers, and all! If you're making your own chili oil, only use the standing oil because it's likely that you've salted it and you want the oil, not the salt. Stir in the tofu and the oil to the sauce.
• Toss the tofu in the sauce gently with a spatula. Allow for 3-5 minutes for everything to cook. Stir in the sesame oil, sugar (if used), and scallions until the scallions are just wilted.
• If desired, garnish with a final sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn powder.