MaPo Tofu

MaPo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan province, China. It consists of spicy sauce, tofu and minced meat.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 156kcal

Minced 4 cloves of garlic (1 oz).
Cut 3 sticks of green onion (1.5 oz).
Cut a block of soft tofu (19 oz) into cubes and set them aside.
Add ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan. After that, turn the heat to medium-high and stir-fry the minced garlic briefly.
Next, add ½ pound of ground pork and stir-fry or loosen up the ground pork.
The following, add ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1.5 tablespoons of homemade chili oil, ½ cup of water, and keep stir-frying until the pork is cooked.
In a small container, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water.
After, pour cornstarch mixture with the pork and keep stir frying until the sauce is thickened.
Lastly, add cut tofu and be gentle. Do not stir too hard, as the soft tofu breaks easily, and cook it for a minute.
Top with green onion from step 2, and ready to serve.

Pro tips for how to make mapo tofu:

When making mapo tofu, the amount of chili oil can be adjusted based on your spice preference. I usually add about ½ tablespoon at a time and taste as I go. For my family, 1.5 tablespoons of homemade Sichuan-style chili oil gives the perfect balance of heat and flavor.
I prefer using homemade Sichuan-style chili oil because it is highly aromatic and adds a deep, fragrant flavor to both the ground pork and tofu. It enhances the overall richness of the dish even with simple ingredients.
For the best texture, soft tofu is recommended because it creates a silky, delicate mouthfeel. However, some people prefer medium or firm tofu since it holds its shape better during cooking.
If you are using soft tofu, avoid vigorous stirring. Add the tofu at the end and gently fold it into the sauce to prevent it from breaking apart.