Mapo Tofu
Soft tofu with minced shiitake mushrooms in a spicy sauce made with Sichuan Chili Crisp and spicy bean sauce, along with hot red pepper and Sichuan pepper!
Mapo tofu is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan family. It consists of soft smooth tofu set in a spicy mouth numbing sauce. There is a coating of a thin, oily, bright red gravy, based on spicy bean sauce like either Spicy Broad Bean Paste OR Spicy Bean Sauce along with Sichuan Chili Crisp fermented broad bean chili paste and with minced meat. However, this dish uses minced shiitake mushrooms instead of meat to get that meaty texture and still the authentic spicy, tongue numbing flavors!
This dish is a perfect vegan, gluten free, plant-based meal that is full of flavors and nutrients! It is loaded with spicy, pungent, appetizing flavors that pairs so well with steamed white jasmine rice. I personally like to mix this Mapo Tofu in Indian style Instant Noodles Maggi, try it and thank me later! If you love spicy Chinese food with tongue numbing Sichuan flavors and mushrooms, this dish is for you! It is perfect for either sick days or those rainy, gloomy, cold days. Add this chili mushroom as a side to make a perfect Chinese feast!
If you end up making it and liking it, leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @myvegetarianroots. I would love to get your feedback.
Happy & Healthy Eating!
Mapo Tofu
Ingredients
- ½ lb Soft/Silken Tofu
- ½ tsp Finely Ground Sichuan Pepper
- 1 cup Minced Shiitake Mushrooms save the stems for adding flavor to the broth
- 1 tsp FLYBYJING Sichuan Chili Crisp or choice of chili crisp
- 1½ tsp Spicy Bean Sauce/Spicy Broad Bean Paste either Lee Kum Kee Spicy Bean Sauce OR Sichuan Pixian Broad Bean Paste with Red Chili Oil
- 1½ tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Grated Ginger
- 2 tbsp Chopped White Park Of Scallions
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1½ cup Vegetable Broth
- 1 tsp Corn Starch
- 2 tbsp Chopped Green Park Of Scallions
Instructions
Prepare veg broth (or simply use choice of store bought broth)
- Wash shiitake mushrooms and remove the stems.
- Add clean mushroom stems to 1½ cup vegetable broth and bring the broth to boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- After simmering for 5 minutes, take it off the heat. Remove and discard the stems. Keep the broth aside.
Make Mapo Tofu
- Heat 2 tbsp oil and saute ½ tsp of Finely Ground Sichuan Pepper for a few seconds on low heat, making sure it does not burn.
- Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the pan and saute on low/medium heat till the raw smell of garlic disappears. Do not burn it.
- Add minced shiitake mushrooms tops along with chopped white part of scallions. and saute till all the moisture from mushroom disappears.
- Add FLYBYJING Sichuan Chili Crisp and Spicy bean sauce OR Spicy Broad Bean Paste. Mix well. Cook it for a minute.
- Add prepared broth, dark soy sauce and sugar. Bring it to boil.
- Mix 1 tsp of cornstarch in 3 tsp of water. Mix well so there are no lumps in it.
- Once the sauce comes to boil, slowly add cornstarch mixture to it while stirring constantly.
- Let the sauce simmer on medium heat for 2-4 minutes.
- Add cubed soft/silken tofu, and mix very carefully making sure the tofu does not break.
- Let it simmer on low/medium heat for 2-4 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and top it with 1 tsp of sesame oil and green part of scallions.
- Garnish it with chopped cilantro and scallions. Serve it hot with steamed jasmine rice! I personally like to mix this Mapo Tofu in Indian style Instant Noodles Maggi, try it and thank me later!
