"There are a few varieties of mapo tofu. This one is a classically Cantonese dish – my Mum’s recipe with pork mince, chilli and ginger."
Serves 4
20 mins
Ingredients
- 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled
- 7 cloves garlic, peeled
- 5 long red chillies
- 2½ tbs vegetable oil
- 400g pork mince
- 2 tbs chilli bean sauce
- 1 tbs oyster sauce
- 2 tbs dark soy sauce
- 2 tbs black vinegar
- 2 tbs caster sugar
- 1 tbs chilli sauce
- 250g firm tofu, cut into large cubes
- 1 tbs potato starch mixed with 2 tbs water
- Ground Sichuan pepper, to serve
- Spring onion, thinly sliced, to serve
- Coriander leaves, to serve
Method
1
Place the ginger, garlic and chilli in a small food processor or a mortar and pestle and process into a paste.
2
Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil, then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1–2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the pork mince and cook for another 2–3 minutes until the meat is brown. Then add chilli bean sauce.
3
Add 300ml water and bring to a boil. Season with the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, chilli sauce and two pinches of salt. Add the tofu and stir very gently, then stir in the potato starch mixture and cook until slightly thickened.
4
Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with Sichuan pepper, spring onion and coriander leaves to serve.
