Easy Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl (No Doubanjiang)
Simple and Delicious Korean-Style Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl Recipe
This is a Korean-style mapo tofu rice bowl made without doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste). Because it’s made with low-calorie tofu, it’s a great option for a diet meal. Tofu is also excellent for protein intake, making this mapo tofu rice bowl a wonderful one-dish meal.
Main Ingredients
- 2 bowls cooked rice
- 1 block tofu (300g)
- 100g minced pork
- 1 small onion
- 1/3 stalk green onion (white part)
- 1 Korean chili pepper (optional, for spice)
- 1 red chili pepper (for color)
- A little cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2000ml water (for blanching tofu)
Spicy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of black pepper
Thickening Slurry
- 1/2 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
For Blanching Tofu
- Sufficient water
- 1 Tbsp coarse salt
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of black pepper
Thickening Slurry
- 1/2 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
For Blanching Tofu
- Sufficient water
- 1 Tbsp coarse salt
- Sufficient water
- 1 Tbsp coarse salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The pork can be any cut, but lean cuts are preferable. If you don’t have starch powder, you can use cornstarch. Adjust the ingredient quantities to your taste. You can add more or less of the spicy ingredients to suit your preference.
Step 2
Cut the tofu into approximately 1.5cm cubes. Bring a pot of water to a boil with a tablespoon of coarse salt. Gently add the tofu cubes to the boiling water and blanch over medium heat for 5 minutes. This step helps to remove any raw smell from the tofu and firms it up, preventing it from breaking apart during cooking.
Step 3
Drain the blanched tofu carefully using a sieve. If you’re not using it immediately, gently pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Step 4
While the tofu is blanching, prepare the vegetables. Finely chop the onion and green onion. Thinly slice the red and Korean chili peppers. If you prefer less spice, you can reduce or omit the Korean chili pepper, especially if serving to children.
Step 5
In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine, minced garlic, and black pepper. Mix them thoroughly until well combined to create the sauce.
Step 6
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the starch powder (1/2 Tbsp) and water (2 Tbsp) until smooth. This slurry will be used to thicken the mapo tofu sauce.
Step 7
Heat a wok or a deep frying pan over medium heat and add a little cooking oil. Add the chopped green onion and onion, and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant, bringing out their sweetness.
Step 8
Once the vegetables are slightly softened, add the minced pork. Break up any clumps with a spoon or chopsticks and stir-fry until the pork is no longer pink and is fully cooked.
Step 9
Add the prepared sauce to the pan. Reduce the heat to low to prevent the sauce from burning. Stir well to coat the pork and vegetables evenly, and cook for about 1 minute.
Step 10
Pour in 1 cup (about 200ml) of water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Boiling the sauce briefly will help deepen the flavors.
Step 11
Once the sauce is boiling, add the blanched tofu and the sliced red and Korean chili peppers. Gently stir to avoid breaking the tofu, and simmer for another 3-5 minutes, allowing the tofu to absorb the flavors. Adjust the cooking time based on how much the sauce reduces.
Step 12
When the tofu has absorbed the flavors and the sauce has thickened slightly, gradually pour in the starch slurry while stirring continuously until the desired consistency is reached. It’s best to add it little by little to control the thickness. Stop adding once it’s nicely thickened.
Step 13
Turn off the heat and stir in 1 Tbsp of sesame oil for added aroma and flavor. Adding sesame oil after cooking helps preserve its fragrance.
Step 14
Serve the mapo tofu generously over a bowl of hot rice to complete your delicious mapo tofu rice bowl. You can also top it with a fried egg or sesame seeds for extra flavor.
