Main ingredients 🥩
soft tofuground porkgreen oniongarlicgingerbell pepperchili oildoubanjiangoyster saucesoy saucechicken powderred pepper flakesstarchsansho oil
Yeo Kyung-ok's Mapo Tofu
Sichuan-style dish that hits the Korean palate—soft tofu blanched briefly for firmness, then gently simmered in a spicy chili oil and doubanjiang sauce
🙋 Recommended for
- ⭐ Those seeking perfectly textured mapo tofu at home without crumbling
- ⭐ Fans of bold, numbing Sichuan-style flavors in rice bowls
- ⭐ People looking for a harmonious side dish combining tender tofu and minced pork
Ingredients needed 🛒2 servings
- soft tofu 1 block
- ground pork 80g
- green onion 1/2 bunch
- garlic 3 cloves
- ginger 1/2 teaspoon
- bell pepper 1/4
- chili oil 3 tablespoons
- doubanjiang 1 tablespoon
- oyster sauce 1/2 tablespoon
- soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon
- chicken powder 1/2 teaspoon
- sugar 1 teaspoon
- red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon
- water 1 cup (200ml)
- starch slurry (potato starch 1 tablespoon, water 2 tablespoons)
- sansho oil to taste
Recipe 🍳
- Cut the soft tofu into bite-sized cubes in a grid pattern. Finely chop the green onion, garlic, ginger, and bell pepper.
- Blanch the cubed tofu in boiling water until just barely bubbling, then drain thoroughly through a colander and keep warm.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of chili oil in a pan over high heat, then add the ground pork and stir-fry until fully cooked.
- Once the pork is cooked, add the finely chopped green onion, ginger, and garlic to release aroma, then add red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon of doubanjiang, stirring gently to avoid burning.
- When the spicy aroma rises, pour in 1 cup of water and add soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken powder, and sugar to build the sauce base.
- Once the sauce begins to boil, add the blanched tofu and chopped bell pepper, then simmer on medium heat for 2 minutes to allow the sauce to coat the tofu evenly.
- To thicken the sauce without breaking the tofu, gently push it along the edge of the pan using a spoon, gradually adding the starch slurry in portions.
- When the sauce reaches desired thickness, turn off the heat. Drizzle with a little chili oil or sansho oil according to preference to intensify the spicy aroma, then serve.
- Cube the tofu and blanch in boiling water to remove moisture; chop vegetables finely.
- Heat chili oil in a pan, then sauté ground meat, chopped vegetables, doubanjiang, and red pepper flakes in sequence, followed by adding water and seasoning.
- Add the blanched tofu, simmer, adjust consistency with starch slurry, and finish with a drizzle of sansho oil.
Cooking tips 💡
- Blanching the tofu before cooking removes excess moisture, preventing it from falling apart during cooking and giving it a more resilient, chewy texture.
- After adding the tofu, avoid stirring vigorously with a ladle—instead, gently shake the pan or use the back of the spoon to nudge the tofu to preserve its shape.
- Add the starch slurry gradually while reducing heat to prevent clumping and ensure an even, smooth thickening.
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