Ma Po Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 pound soft tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)
• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon chili oil, for drizzling

Method

1. 1

   Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer and add the tofu cubes; let them sit off heat for 5 minutes to firm up, then drain carefully.

   5:00 · Soak tofu
2. 2

   Heat the vegetable oil in a 9-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 4 minutes.

   4:00 · Brown pork
3. 3

   Stir in the doubanjiang, fermented black beans, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and the oil turns red, about 1 minute.

   1:00 · Bloom paste
4. 4

   Pour in the chicken stock, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a simmer.

   3:00 · Bring to simmer
5. 5

   Gently slide the drained tofu into the sauce. Simmer, stirring carefully to avoid breaking the cubes, for 5 minutes.

   5:00 · Simmer tofu
6. 6

   In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the pan and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

   1:00 · Thicken sauce
7. 7

   Sprinkle in the ground Sichuan peppercorns and half the scallions; stir gently to combine.

8. 8

   Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with chili oil, and garnish with the remaining scallions. Serve hot with steamed rice.