Slushy Snow and Spicy Tofu

This icy weather has gotten me in the mood to make something spicy :o)

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Tofu gets a bad rap for being bland, but I knew that couldn’t be entirely true...the tofu meals I've had in Chinatown have been amazing! With practice, I’ve gotten better at making flavorful tofu dishes, and now it’s an indispensable item in my kitchen.
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Ironically, one of my favorite tofu dishes, Mapo Tofu, actually uses its bland flavor to its advantage. The creamy tofu blocks offer a cooling contrast to the spicy red broth. It’s really a great combination…

The two main ingredients you'll need for this dish are Szechwan peppercorn and chili bean paste.
Chili bean paste is a reddish brown sauce that can go by different names depending on the brand. I’ve seen it called Szechwan sauce to spicy bean paste, or some mix in between. You should be able to find it in the asian section of your supermarket.
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The next and probably most defining ingredient for Ma Po Tofu is Szechwan pepper. It’s not really conventionally spicy, but it has an interesting aroma and creates a numbing effect in your mouth.
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Japanese sansho powder is more readily available and is a good alternative if you can’t find ground szechwan peppercorn. But, you can leave this out all together if you'd like, it’s up to you…

So let’s get started :o) ...

Ma Po Tofu

(If you’re vegetarian, feel free to sub the meat with pressed firm tofu, chopped mushrooms, or soy crumbles…)
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2 packs soft tofu
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Meat: (you can double this if you'd like)
¼ pound ground beef, pork or turkey
½ tsp cornstarch
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce

Seasoning:
½ - 1 tsp red pepper flakes, depending on your taste
2-3 inches of ginger, minced
5 -6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp Szechwan / chili bean paste
1 tbsp hoisin sauce

Sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp cider or rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp salt (optional)

Cornstarch slurry:

2 tbsp cornstarch mixed into 2 tbsp water

3 scallions, finely chopped

Canola or Peanut Oil for cooking

toasted sesame oil

ground Szechwan peppercorn or Japanese Sansho powder

Season the ground meat with the white pepper, cornstarch, sesame oil, soy sauce and set aside for at least 15 minutes, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients

The actual cooking part of this dish goes by pretty quickly, so it’s important to have everything prepared and within reach.

Chop up your scallion, garlic and ginger.

Dice the tofu into 1 inch chunks and set aside (Extra tip: Soak the diced tofu in hot salted water for a couple of minutes. It helps lessen that “beany” tofu taste if you don’t care for it. Sometimes I do this, sometimes not.)

Share out the hoisin sauce and szechwan paste.
Combine the stock with the rest of the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Prepare the cornstarch slurry in a small bowl.

In a wide sauté pan or wok, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add the meat and break it up as it cooks. When it starts to get little dark brown spots, remove from the pan and set aside for later.

If needed, add another 1- 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and heat over medium- high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 45 seconds.

Next, add in the hoisin and chili bean paste and cook for another 30 seconds or so, the oil should look red at this point. (Just a heads up, this part can make you cough a bit, so you might want to crack a window or turn on your vent)

Pour in the stock mixture and bring to a boil.

Then add the diced tofu and bring to a boil again. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.

At this point, taste the broth and see if it’s seasoned to your liking. Adjust if necessary. Very gently, stir the meat back into the mixture…the tofu breaks up easily.

If the sauce isn’t as thick as you like, stir the cornstarch slurry, then slowly add it to the pot until it reaches the consistency you like. You probably won’t need all of it.

Add the chopped scallions, then sprinkle with Szechwan peppercorn powder or Sansho if using. Serve with steamed white rice and sesame oil to taste.

Enjoy!!