Mapo Tofu is a combination of tofu, simmered in spicy chili- and bean-based sauce, together with pork mince or beef mince. That said, it was named for the old woman who invented the dish. As she got a pockmarked face, her popular dish was named as 麻婆豆腐, literally translated as "pockmarked grandmother’s beancurd".
Whatever the history, the dish was appropriated by my people in more recent history. Asian groceries stock packets of sauce you just heat up with tofu, but that would be cheating, and it’s not much harder to make from scratch.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs Mirin or other sweet cooking wine
- 1 Tbs oyster sauce
- 2 tsp asian chili sauce (Tobanjan, Gochujang, Sriracha, etc)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 Tbs ginger minced
- 1/2 lbs. ground meat (I use pork but you can use turkey, beef, or veggies like eggplant)
- 14oz package silken tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 scallions sliced thin
Direction
1. Mix the first group of ingredients in a bowl to make the sauce. Adjust seasonings as you see fit.
2. Put a splash of oil in a hot saute pan and fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant.
3. Add the ground meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. When the meat is cooked, drain off any excess oil and add the sauce mixture.
Stir to combine, then add the tofu. If the sauce seems thick (or non-existent), add some water and cook until the tofu is heated through. If you’re using silken tofu, be careful not to mash up the tofu too much.
4. Stir in the scallions just before taking it off the heat and serve with white rice.