Authentic Mapo Tofu at Home: No Doubanjiang Needed!
Make Delicious Mapo Tofu Without Doubanjiang! You Can Do It!
I personally love Chinese cuisine, but I often hesitated to make it because it requires unique spices… This recipe doesn’t need any of those! It’s made with a Korean-centric approach, so you can easily create a flavorful Mapo Tofu that suits your palate. Enjoy a rich and satisfying dish right in your own kitchen!
Main Ingredients
- 300g Ground Pork (pork belly or shoulder with some fat is recommended for better flavor)
- 1 block Firm Tofu (firm tofu holds its shape better when cooking)
- 100g Napa Cabbage or Chinese Cabbage (adds a pleasant crunch)
- 1/2 Onion (adds sweetness and depth)
- 1/3 stalk Green Onion (for making fragrant scallion oil)
- 1/2 Carrot (for color and texture)
Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce (key ingredient for umami)
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes; adjust to your spice preference)
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste; for that signature Korean flavor)
- 1 Tbsp Doenjang (fermented soybean paste; adds depth and complexity)
- 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup or Oligosaccharide (for a mild sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 20g Potato Starch (for thickening the sauce)
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce (key ingredient for umami)
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes; adjust to your spice preference)
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste; for that signature Korean flavor)
- 1 Tbsp Doenjang (fermented soybean paste; adds depth and complexity)
- 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup or Oligosaccharide (for a mild sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 20g Potato Starch (for thickening the sauce)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, cut the firm tofu into bite-sized cubes. For aesthetically pleasing square pieces, you can make one cut lengthwise and then four cuts widthwise. Be careful not to cut them too small, as they might break apart during cooking.
Step 2
Next, let’s prepare the vegetables. Dice the carrot, onion, and cabbage (or Napa cabbage) into roughly 0.5cm cubes or small pieces. If the pieces are too large, they will take longer to cook. Aim for bite-sized pieces.
Step 3
Finely chop the green onion. This will be used to make fragrant scallion oil. The finer you chop it, the more flavor will be extracted.
Step 4
Now, let’s make the sauce that will define the flavor of your Mapo Tofu! In a bowl, combine the oyster sauce, gochugaru, gochujang, doenjang, corn syrup (or oligosaccharide), and minced garlic from the sauce ingredients list. Mix them well. Please note: do not add the potato starch at this stage.
Step 5
Add 200g of water (about 1 standard cup) to the mixed sauce ingredients. Stir thoroughly until the sauce is smooth and lump-free. This ensures the sauce will blend evenly with the other ingredients.
Step 6
It’s time to start stir-frying! Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped green onions and slowly stir-fry until fragrant scallion oil is produced. Be careful not to burn the green onions; cooking them gently until their aroma is released is key.
Step 7
Once the scallion oil is ready, add the ground pork. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir-fry, breaking up any clumps. Season lightly with salt and pepper. When about 70% of the pork is cooked and has changed color, add the prepared tofu and all the diced vegetables (onion, carrot, cabbage, etc.) to the wok and continue to stir-fry.
Step 8
When the vegetables and pork are partially cooked, pour in the prepared sauce and 200g of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the sauce is bubbling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Finally, slowly add the potato starch slurry (potato starch mixed with a little water) while stirring continuously until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. It’s best to add the starch slurry gradually to control the consistency.
