Mapo Tofu
This is my vegetarian take on mapo tofu.
It can be hard to find soft tofu in Iceland, so sometimes I use firm tofu or even paneer. Soft tofu has the best melt-in-your-mouth texture, so I've been trying to make my own lately instead of substituting. I highly recommend using soft/silken tofu if you can get it.
On the topic of soy mince -
I really like the taste and texture of pork in mapo tofu, but obviously, pork is not suitible for vegetarians. :) Soy based beef minces, like Trader Joe's beefless bef, tend to be the best replacement for the texture of pork in my experience. I have also tried other plant-based vegan beef options, like Beyond ground beef. It's usually too soft and adds too much “vegan beef” flavor.
Minced portabello mushrooms or okara (soy pulp discarded from making tofu) are also good options. Just fry the mushrooms or pulp bits separately until they're really dry and crispy.
See my recipe for homemade Sichuan peppercorn chili oil for maximum flavor!
Ingredients
- 3 tbps Sichuan chili oil
- 1 tbps sesame oil
- 1 tbps ginger (minced)
- 2 tbps garlic (minced)
- 8 oz soy mince
- 1 tbps ground Sichuan peppercorn
- 1 tbps red pepper flake (omit for less spicy)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbps doubanjiang (spicy bean paste)
- 2 tsp red miso
- 1 tbsp michiu (rice wine)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp corn starch (sliced into cubes)
- 8 oz silken tofu
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp of chili oil and ½ tbsp of sesame oil in a wok over medium high heat. Let it warm up until you can smell it.
- Add ginger and garlic and fry until fragrant.
- Add soy mince. Stir around until it starts to brown.
- Add Sichuan peppercorn, pepper flake, and sugar. Fry it for a minute until fragrant. Be careful not to cook it too long, because Sichuan peppercorn burns easily.
- Add doubanjiang and miso. Stir it in until evenly incorporated. Fry for five minutes.
- Add michui to deglaze the pan. Scrape the brown bits off the wok.
- Add water and corn starch and stir together. Let the sauce cook together until it starts to thicken.
- Add the tofu and stir it into the sauce. Let the tofu simmer in the sauce for another five minutes to warm all the way through.
- Take the wok off the heat and top with green onions. Enjoy with rice :)