Mapo tofu, the authentic way (麻婆豆腐)

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• Why is it call Mapo tofu?
• What does it taste like
• Ingredients
• Cooking procedure
• What to serve with
• FAQs
• Other tofu dishes
• 📋 Recipe

Why is it call Mapo tofu?

A signature dish of Sichuan cuisine, Mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐) is believed to be named after its inventor “Mapo/麻婆” who ran a small restaurant over a century ago in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.

 

“Mapo” isn’t the name but a description of this originator. It literally means an elderly lady with a pockmarked face.

The classic version of Mapo tofu contains tender tofu cubes and minced meat coated with an aromatic, hot and mouth-tingling sauce made with a set of quintessential condiments and spices of Sichuan cooking.

As Mapo tofu became popular outside China, it is often presented in restaurants with various adaptations. Some of these alterations are modest while the others are quite dramatic. Today’s Mapo tofu recipe reflects the way this dish is traditionally prepared in terms of the flavour, spice level and texture.

What does it taste like

If you think tofu dishes are bland, then you need to try this dish. Sichuan chefs use five words to label the taste of top-notch Mapo tofu: spicy, mouth-numbing, aromatic, tender and hot.

• Spicy (辣): Both Sichuan chilli bean paste (aka spicy Doubanjiang) and chilli powder/flakes contribute to the spiciness. The latter also enhances the red colour of the dish.
• Mouth-Numbing (麻): This particular sensation comes from Sichuan pepper, a spice unique to Chinese cuisine.
• Aromatic (香): The aroma comes from fermented black beans, aromatics (ginger and garlic), minced meat, as well as the sauce and spices mentioned above.
• Tender (嫩): This refers to the texture of the tofu. It should be jiggly and soft but doesn’t fall apart easily (more on tofu choices in later sections). 
• Hot, physically (烫): For best taste, it needs to be served right after cooking when the flavour of the dish is at its peak (but be careful not to burn your mouth as tofu holds heat very well).

Ingredients

Here is a list of ingredients you need to make classic Mapo tofu (more info on key ingredients and quantity in later sections):

• Tofu (soft or medium-firm)
• Minced beef/pork (or shiitake mushrooms for a vegan diet)
• Sichuan chilli bean paste
• Fermented black beans
• Chilli powder/flakes
• Ground Sichuan pepper
• Ginger, garlic, scallions
• Shaoxing rice wine
• Cornstarch

You should be able to find the sauces and spices above in your local Chinese/Asian supermarkets or popular online shopping platforms.

What type of tofu

Mapo tofu calls for regular tofu (aka block tofu) which is pressed into large blocks then cut into pieces for sale. It’s often soaked in water and has a coarse or fine sponge texture.

Two types of regular tofu are commonly used in traditional Chinese cuisine: Soft tofu (Nen Dou Fu/嫩豆腐) and firm tofu (Lao Dou Fu/老豆腐 or Bei Dou Fu/北豆腐).

Soft regular tofu is the perfect choice for Mapo tofu thanks to its tender, jiggly and slippery texture. Although much softer than firm tofu, it doesn’t break easily if handled and cooked properly (see tips in the cooking sections below).

🛎 TIP: I’ve seen soft tofu (嫩豆腐) sold in Chinese supermarkets labelled as “Medium-firm”. If unsure, ask shop assistants for help (show them the Chinese characters above).

Although not the popular choice, firm regular tofu is also acceptable for this dish as some people prefer its pronounced “bean flavour” and its ability to soak up seasonings.

🛎 NOTE: Silken tofu (绢豆腐), a type of unpressed tofu that coagulates directly in its container, isn’t traditionally used for Mapo tofu. But it’s acceptable as a substitute. In this case, choose medium-firm or firm silken tofu and avoid the soft version.

Minced meat and its substitute

In Chinese cooking, tofu dishes often contain a small amount of meat for extra flavour (Think Hakka-Style Stuffed Tofu). Minced beef or pork is commonly used in Mapo tofu. Replace it with chicken or turkey if you wish.

🥬 Vegan Mapo tofu: Shiitake mushrooms can be used as a substitute for the vegan version. Dried ones are preferable to fresh ones as they have a more complex flavour. Soak until plump. Trim off the stems then chop into small pieces.

Sichuan chilli bean paste

Considered the soul of Sichuan cuisine, chilli bean paste (aka spicy doubanjiang) is indispensable for making authentic Mapo tofu. It’s a fermented sauce made of broad beans and chilli peppers. Read my chilli bean paste post to learn all you need to know about this unique ingredient. 

When sourcing it in Chinese/Asian markets, look for its best variety Pixian Douban (郫县豆瓣) which comes in two versions: the regular (right in the image above) and the red oil version (left in the image above). Both are great for today’s dish.

🛎 TIP: If using the regular version, remember to chop it finer beforehand for a better mouthfeel.

Ground chilli or chilli flakes

Dried chilli pepper, in the form of either powder or flakes, provides spiciness and an appetising red colour to the dish. Please feel free to use any type available that suits your tolerance to heat. Ideally, it shouldn’t contain other spices or salt.

Sichuan pepper

An essential flavour component of Mapo tofu, Sichuan pepper is also a must-have ingredient (unfamiliar with this unique spice? Read my Complete Guide to Sichuan Peppercorns). It’s typically paired with chillies to create the iconic flavour profile known as Mala/麻辣, meaning mouth-numbing and spicy.

When time permits, I use freshly ground Sichuan pepper that only takes a few simple steps to make. Ready-to-use ones found in Chinese/Asian shops are also fine.

Fermented black beans

A typical flavour source in Mapo tofu, fermented black beans (Dou Chi/豆豉) often pairs with chilli bean paste in Sichuan dishes (such as Black Bean Sauce, Twice-cooked Pork). They deliver a complex taste: fragrant, earthy, salty and bittersweet.

Although important, it can be omitted, in my opinion, as the taste of the dish won’t be greatly compromised without them.

Cooking procedure

It only takes a few simple steps to cook Mapo tofu: blanch tofu cubes in salted water; fry minced meat with aromatic seasonings; braise tofu in the flavoured broth which is thickened at the end.

Step 1: Blanch

This step is to help firm up the tofu cubes so that they don’t break while handling but retain the bouncy, tender texture.

After cutting the tofu into cubes (about 2.5cm/1inch), gently slide them into a wok/pot filled with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.

Over high heat, bring the water to a gentle boil. Then turn down the heat to let it simmer for 1 minute. Fish out the tofu and set it aside.

Step 2: Fry

During this step, you’re going to combine all the flavour components of the dish.

Heat up a clean, empty wok until hot then add the oil (if using non-stick cookware, add the oil first then heat). Put in the minced meat and minced ginger. Stir-fry over high heat until the meat loosens and becomes pale.

Add Sichuan chilli bean paste, fermented black beans, chilli powder/flakes and minced garlic. Fry until well combined and the aroma intensifies in the air. 

Step 3: Braise

This step allows the tofu to absorb the fragrant cooking liquid which is thickened towards the end.

Pour in Shaoxing rice wine and water (you may use unsalted chicken stock for a richer taste). Bring to a boil then gently slide in the drained tofu. Leave to boil over high heat for about 5 minutes (uncovered).

While waiting, mix some cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl. When time is up, lower the heat to medium. Pour in half of the mixture (make sure to stir it well beforehand). Leave to simmer for 10 seconds or so, then pour in the other half.

Gently stir to evenly distribute the thickening agent. Once the sauce becomes just thick enough to coat your spatula, add ground Sichuan pepper and sprinkle chopped scallions over. Give everything a final mix and remove from the heat immediately. 

🛎 TIPS:

• Sauce thickening: After pouring in the cornstarch slurry, the cooking liquid will thicken pretty quickly. When it looks a little runnier than your desired consistency, you should stop cooking as it will become thicker by the time the dish is served at the table. Don’t overcook. Otherwise, the sauce will turn lumpy. 
• Use round-edged utensils to handle the tofu in case you accidentally break it.

What to serve with

For a quick lunch, simply pour it over plain steamed rice. Although not a common option, I also like serving it with noodles (love how the sauce clings onto the noodle strands).

Or, include it in a multi-dish dinner. Pair it with other savoury protein or vegetable dishes. Take what we had last Saturday for example: Mapo tofu, steamed chicken, smashed cucumber, hot and sour soup and jasmine rice. Does this combination sound good?

FAQs

Other tofu dishes

As a very healthy source of protein, tofu can be prepared in so many scrumptious ways: in salads, stir-fries, stews, soups, etc. Here are some classics to try:

📋 Recipe

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