Yeo Kyung-rae's Nostalgic Original Mapo Tofu

Name: Yeo Kyung-rae's Nostalgic Original Mapo Tofu
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: block tofu 1 block; ground beef 100g; green onion 1/2 bunch; garlic 5 cloves; ginger a little; chili powder 1.5 tablespoons; gochujang 1 tablespoon; water 1 cup; chili oil 2 tablespoons; oyster sauce 1 tablespoon; salt a little; black pepper a little; sugar a little; cornstarch slurry enough to thicken; sesame oil 1 teaspoon

A nostalgic original mapo tofu recipe that creates a smooth and familiar spicy flavor without doubanjiang, using chili powder and gochujang instead.

🙋 Recommended for

⭐ Those seeking a smooth-spiced mapo tofu without the sharp aroma of doubanjiang
⭐ Home cooks wanting to create high-quality Chinese-style dishes using basic pantry staples like gochujang and chili powder

15 min Difficulty Easy Meat & mains

Main ingredients 🥩

block tofuground beefgreen oniongarlicgingerchili powdergochujangchili oiloyster sauceblack peppercornstarchsesame oil

Tags 🏷️

without doubanjiang nostalgic flavor Chinese cuisine

Detailed recipeQuick recipe

Ingredients needed 🛒2 servings

block tofu 1 block
ground beef 100g
green onion 1/2 bunch
garlic 5 cloves
ginger a little
chili powder 1.5 tablespoons
gochujang 1 tablespoon
water 1 cup
chili oil 2 tablespoons
oyster sauce 1 tablespoon
salt a little
black pepper a little
sugar a little
cornstarch slurry enough to thicken
sesame oil 1 teaspoon

Recipe 🍳

Cut the block tofu into bite-sized cubes.
When the water boils, add the cubed tofu and blanch briefly, then drain through a sieve to remove excess moisture.
Chop green onion, garlic, and ginger finely and set aside.
Mix a small amount of water into the chili powder, then blend in the gochujang to create the seasoning base.
Heat chili oil in a pan and sauté the ground beef until fully cooked.
Once the beef is cooked, add the chopped green onion, garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry until fragrant.
Add the prepared chili and gochujang mixture, stir briefly, then pour in enough water to cover about two-thirds of the tofu. Bring to a boil.
Season to taste with oyster sauce, salt, black pepper, and sugar.
Once the broth starts boiling, add the blanched tofu and simmer for 2–3 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate.
Gradually add the cornstarch slurry around the edges to adjust thickness, then finish with a single drop of sesame oil.

Dice the tofu and briefly blanch in boiling water.
Chop green onion, garlic, and ginger; mix chili powder and gochujang with water to make the seasoning.
Sauté ground beef and chopped vegetables in chili oil, then add the seasoning and water to bring to a boil.
Adjust seasoning, add the tofu, simmer, then finish by adding cornstarch slurry and sesame oil to balance texture and flavor.

Cooking tips 💡

Blanching the tofu in boiling water before cooking helps reduce moisture, preventing it from breaking apart easily and maintaining its firm, chewy texture.
This version has a deeper red color and smoother spiciness compared to regular doubanjiang-based mapo tofu, making it ideal for those who find the strong, pungent flavor of Chinese-style dishes overwhelming.

Shop ingredients on Coupang(Ad)

block tofu ground beef green onion garlic ginger chili powder gochujang chili oil oyster sauce black pepper cornstarch sesame oil

YouTube

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tofuground porkall-purpose sauce pastesoybean pastegreen onion

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