Delicious Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl (No Doubanjiang)
Easy Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl Without Doubanjiang – A One-Bowl Meal!
Here’s a simple and savory mapo tofu rice bowl made with ingredients you likely have at home! It’s a hearty, one-dish meal that requires no side dishes, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal. We made it deliciously using a recipe that doesn’t require doubanjiang, making it super easy to whip up at home.
Mapo Tofu Ingredients- 1/2 block firm tofu
- 100g ground pork
- 1/2 white part of a leek
- A few chopped chives (for garnish)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp soybean paste (Doenjang)
- 100ml water
- Slurry (1/5 cup water + 1/5 Tbsp cornstarch)
All-Purpose Seasoning Mix Ingredients- 1 Tbsp red pepper powder (Gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp red pepper paste (Gochujang)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (Mirin)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp red pepper powder (Gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp red pepper paste (Gochujang)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (Mirin)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, gently press the tofu with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Then, cut it into bite-sized cubes, about 1.5 cm (0.6 inches). Avoid cutting them too small, or they might break apart during cooking.
Step 2
Finely chop the white part of the leek. If your leek is thin, chop it as is. If it’s thick, slice it in half lengthwise before chopping to help it absorb the sauce better.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the all-purpose seasoning mix that will give the mapo tofu its signature flavor. Traditional mapo tofu uses doubanjiang, a type of Chinese chili bean paste. However, we’ll be making a delicious version without it, using a fantastic recipe! Combine 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 1 Tbsp gochujang, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp mirin, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp minced garlic in a bowl. Mix them well.
Step 4
Heat 2 Tbsp of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then, add the ground pork and cook together with the leeks.
Step 5
A key tip for this step is to stir-fry the pork and leeks until they are slightly browned and somewhat crispy, almost sticking to the pan. This develops a richer flavor in the pork.
Step 6
Once the pork is well-cooked and browned, pour in 100ml of water. If there are any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, scrape them up with the water to incorporate all that delicious flavor into the sauce.
Step 7
Now, add 1 Tbsp of doenjang (Korean soybean paste) and about 5-6 Tbsp of the prepared all-purpose seasoning mix. You can adjust the amount of seasoning to your personal taste. If you prefer it spicier, feel free to add a little more gochugaru or gochujang.
Step 8
Stir the sauce well to dissolve the pastes. Gently add the cubed tofu to the pan. Be careful not to stir too vigorously, so the tofu pieces maintain their shape.
Step 9
Even at this stage, with just the sauce and tofu, the aroma of delicious mapo tofu rice is already filling the air! It smells so good, you could almost eat it as is.
Step 10
Since we’re making a rice bowl, we’ll thicken the sauce slightly with a cornstarch slurry for a smoother texture that coats the rice perfectly. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/5 cup of water and 1/5 Tbsp of cornstarch until smooth. While stirring the simmering mapo tofu sauce, gradually add the cornstarch slurry, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, until you reach your desired consistency.
Step 11
Finally, garnish with the chopped chives and drizzle a few drops of sesame oil for an extra layer of aroma and flavor. A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds would also be a lovely addition.
Step 12
Serve the delicious mapo tofu sauce generously over a bowl of fluffy, hot cooked rice. This completes a hearty and satisfying one-bowl mapo tofu rice bowl, perfect for any meal. Enjoy your cooking!
