Spicy and Sweet Mapo Tofu: The Golden Recipe
Making Restaurant-Quality Mapo Tofu at Home
Introducing a Mapo Tofu recipe that will captivate the taste buds of your whole family! The perfect balance of spicy and sweet is exquisite, and it’s a true rice thief. Whether you mix it with rice or enjoy it as a side dish, it’s simply the best. With this recipe, anyone can succeed!
Main Ingredients- 1 block of tofu (firm or silken, suitable for frying or stewing)
- 700g ground pork (neck, curry cut, or other cuts are all suitable)
- 1 onion (medium size)
- 1 cup of cabbage (approx. 100g)
- 0.5 cup of carrot (approx. 50g)
- A little green onion (white parts primarily)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water (100ml)
Spicy & Sweet Sauce Base (Tablespoon = 15ml)- 1 tablespoon soybean paste (doenjang)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 5 tablespoons chili powder (gochugaru)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons cooking wine (mirin, etc.)
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon soybean paste (doenjang)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 5 tablespoons chili powder (gochugaru)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons cooking wine (mirin, etc.)
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons sugar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the tofu. Cut one block of tofu into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3cm cubes). Gently pat the cut tofu dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This step helps reduce crumbling when pan-frying and ensures a golden brown crust.
Step 2
Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan. Add the patted-dry tofu and pan-fry until golden brown on all sides. Once nicely browned, remove the tofu from the pan and set aside. Frying the tofu beforehand helps it maintain its shape and provides a slightly chewy texture even after absorbing the sauce.
Step 3
Using the same pan (add a little oil if needed), add the sliced onion and chopped green onions (mostly the white parts). Sauté over medium heat until fragrant. You’ll know they’re ready when the onions become translucent and the green onions release their aroma.
Step 4
Now, add the ground pork. Break up any clumps of pork with your spatula as you stir-fry.
Step 5
Continue to stir-fry the pork with the onions and green onions until the pork is no longer pink and is browned. This process helps to remove any gamey odors from the pork. Stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes.
Step 6
Add the roughly chopped cabbage and diced carrots to the pan. Stir-fry together until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 7
Add the minced garlic (2 tablespoons) and stir-fry for another minute with all the ingredients to release the garlic’s fragrance.
Step 8
Now, add all the sauce ingredients to create the delicious Mapo Tofu flavor. Combine 1 tablespoon doenjang, 2 tablespoons gochujang, 5 tablespoons gochugaru, 4 tablespoons cooking wine, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, and 4 tablespoons sugar. Mix well with the vegetables and pork.
Step 9
Continue to stir-fry everything for about 3-4 minutes, allowing the sauce to fully coat the ingredients and for the flavors to meld. Be mindful of the heat to prevent burning. This step deepens the sauce’s flavor.
Step 10
In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/2 cup (100ml) of water until smooth to create a cornstarch slurry. Gradually pour this slurry into the simmering Mapo Tofu sauce while stirring, until you reach your desired consistency. Add more slurry if needed.
Step 11
Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, gently add the pre-fried tofu back into the pan. Carefully toss everything together so the sauce evenly coats the tofu. Let it simmer for another 1-2 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors. Your delicious Mapo Tofu is ready!
Step 12
Behold, the finished Mapo Tofu! The sight of the tofu submerged in the appetizing sauce is truly mouthwatering. Just imagining it served over warm rice makes my mouth water.
Step 13
Served generously over a bowl of warm rice, Mapo Tofu is a match made in heaven! The spicy and sweet sauce, tender tofu, and crunchy vegetables and pork combine for an incredibly rich flavor experience. You can easily finish a bowl of rice just with this as a side dish. Be sure to give it a try!
