Vegetarian Mapo Tofu
Silken tofu simmered in a fiery doubanjiang sauce with finely chopped shiitakes standing in for pork, finished with ground Sichuan peppercorn for its numbing tingle. Ready in under half an hour.
- 1
Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok over medium heat for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Grind them to a powder and set aside.
- 2
Heat the oil in the wok over high heat. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 4 minutes, until browned and dry at the edges.
- 3
Lower the heat to medium and add the doubanjiang, fermented black beans, garlic, and ginger. Stir for 1 minute, until the oil turns red and smells fragrant.
- 4
Pour in the broth, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then slide in the tofu and push the cubes gently under the sauce with the back of a spoon.
- 5
Simmer 5 minutes without stirring hard, so the tofu stays in cubes. Stir the cornstarch slurry and add it in two additions, letting the sauce thicken between them.
- 6
Spoon the tofu and sauce over the rice, then scatter the ground Sichuan peppercorn and the scallions on top.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons doubanjiang
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 (16 ounce) block silken tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 cups cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok over medium heat for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Grind them to a powder and set aside.
- 2
Heat the oil in the wok over high heat. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 4 minutes, until browned and dry at the edges.
- 3
Lower the heat to medium and add the doubanjiang, fermented black beans, garlic, and ginger. Stir for 1 minute, until the oil turns red and smells fragrant.
- 4
Pour in the broth, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then slide in the tofu and push the cubes gently under the sauce with the back of a spoon.
- 5
Simmer 5 minutes without stirring hard, so the tofu stays in cubes. Stir the cornstarch slurry and add it in two additions, letting the sauce thicken between them.
- 6
Spoon the tofu and sauce over the rice, then scatter the ground Sichuan peppercorn and the scallions on top.