Weeknight Mapo Tofu with Crispy Pork and Sichuan Pepper

⏱ 30 min · Serves 4

Silky tofu bobbing in a glossy, chilli-red sauce that's savoury, numbing and just a little addictive. It comes together in about half an hour and tastes like your favourite Chengdu hole-in-the-wall — serve it over plenty of steamed rice to soak up every drop.

Per serving: 335 kcal · 18.0g protein · 11.0g carbs · 24.0g fat

Ingredients

• 600g silken or soft tofu, cut into 2.5cm cubes
• 200g pork mince (or finely chopped mushrooms for a veggie version)
• 2 tbsp doubanjiang (fermented broad bean chilli paste)
• 1 tbsp fermented black beans (douchi), roughly chopped (optional)
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, such as groundnut or sunflower
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground, plus extra to finish
• 1-2 tsp Sichuan chilli flakes or chilli powder, to taste
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 300ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1.5 tbsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 4 spring onions, sliced (white and green parts kept separate)
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer, add a good pinch of salt, then slide in the tofu cubes. Warm through for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave them sitting in the water — this firms them slightly and keeps them hot.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wok or deep frying pan over high heat. Add the pork mince and fry, breaking it up, for 4-5 minutes until browned and a little crisp at the edges. Push to one side.
3. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil with the doubanjiang, black beans and chilli flakes. Fry gently for 1-2 minutes until the oil turns deep red and smells fragrant — don't let the paste scorch.
4. Stir in the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites and cook for 30 seconds, then splash in the Shaoxing wine and let it sizzle away.
5. Add both soy sauces, the sugar, half the ground Sichuan pepper and the stock. Bring to a simmer.
6. Drain the tofu and gently slide it into the sauce. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, nudging rather than stirring with the back of a spoon so the cubes stay intact.
7. Stir the cornflour slurry and add it in two or three additions, swirling the pan, until the sauce clings glossily to the tofu.
8. Turn off the heat, drizzle over the sesame oil and scatter with spring onion greens and the remaining ground Sichuan pepper. Serve immediately with steamed rice.