Quick and Easy Mapo Tofu Recipe

Mapo tofu...this dish is a very popular Chinese dish in western countries as well as asian countries like Japan. Mapo tofu is very simple and easy to make. Super delicious when served with rice! The key ingredients to this dish is ground pork, tofu, and the sauces Dou Ban Jiang 豆瓣醬 (Chili bean paste) and  Tian Mian Jiang 甜麵醬 (Sweet bean sauce). The sauces can be found in Asian supermarkets.

My fiance saw a poster of mapo tofu sauce mix box in a local Japanese supermarket and said to me he wants to eat something like that with rice. I decided to give this dish a try. Not the box mix but from scratch. Last weekend I made this and he loved it! Nothing makes me happier than satisfying his tummy. =D Success! If you're looking for something easy and quick to make, give this recipe a try!

Quick and Easy Mapo Tofu Recipe

Serves 3-4


Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork

2 blocks medium firm tofu
3 stalks green onions
4 cloves of garlic (grated)
2" ginger (grated)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake
2 tbsp Dou Ban Jiang (Chilli Bean Paste)
2 1/2 tbsp Tian Mian Jiang (Sweet Bean Sauce)
2 1/2 tsp corn starch
2 tbsp water
1 tsp chicken stock powder
200ml warm water

Marinate:
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp chicken powder

Instructions:

1. In a bowl marinate ground pork with the marinate ingredients above. Set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Remove tofu from packaging and pat tofu dry with paper towel. Cut tofu in bite size pieces and set them aside. Cut onions in thin slices.

3.  Mix 1 tsp chicken stock powder in 200ml of warm water. Set aside.

4. Add a bit of oil to a frying pan. Turn the heat on to medium and add marinated pork. Cook till pork is slightly brown. Add ginger and garlic. Stir.

5. Add dou ban jiang, tian main jiang, oyster sauce, sake, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir. Add chicken stock water and bring to a boil.

6. Add green onions and tofu. Using a spatula, gently slide it underneath the tofu and pork. Lift the mixture up and slowly pour it back to the pan. Repeat till the mixture is mixed completely. Bring to a boil.

7. Mix corn starch with 2 tbsp of water. Pour the mixture in the pan. Mix gently and bring to a boil.

Done! Transfer to a plate and serve with rice!