This Korean-style mapo tofu is my cozy, dwelling model tackle the traditional Chinese language dish. The sauce is deeply savory with layers of umami from anchovy inventory, anchovy fish sauce, and ssamjang, whereas a contact of sweetness rounds all the pieces out fantastically. It’s heat, comforting, and extremely satisfying with a bowl of steamed rice.

Why This Recipe Works

A Korean-inspired twist on a traditional
This recipe takes inspiration from traditional mapo tofu however offers it a distinctly Korean spin. Components like ssamjang, gochugaru, anchovy inventory, and anchovy fish sauce create a wealthy, savory sauce that’s acquainted, approachable, and stuffed with taste.

Wealthy, layered umami
Anchovy inventory and anchovy fish sauce add a delicate depth that makes the sauce style extra developed and layered. They don’t overpower the dish however quietly convey all of the flavors collectively.

Ssamjang provides further depth
The ssamjang is what makes this model particularly memorable. It provides wealthy savory depth together with delicate nuttiness and layers of taste that make the sauce really feel hearty, satisfying, and deeply comforting.

Balanced and extremely satisfying
This recipe is much less numbing than conventional Chinese language mapo tofu and leans right into a extra rounded stability of candy, savory, and spicy flavors. The tender tofu, flavorful pork, and wealthy sauce come collectively fantastically, particularly when spooned over a bowl of sizzling rice.

About Mapo Tofu

Mapo tofu is a beloved Chinese language dish that includes tender tofu simmered in a wealthy, flavorful sauce with floor meat. Historically, it’s recognized for its daring savory taste and signature tongue-tingling warmth from Sichuan peppercorns.

Components

Foremost

• 600 g / 21 oz agency tofu, minimize into 2 cm (3/4 inch) cubes
• 100 g / 3.5 oz minced pork
• 20 g / 0.7 oz inexperienced chili pepper, sliced (optionally available)
• 10 g / 0.4 oz dried crimson chili pepper, sliced (optionally available)
• 20 g / 0.7 oz inexperienced onion (inexperienced half solely), chopped

Sauce

• 1 cup Korean anchovy inventory or water
• 2.5 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp ssamjang (Korean spicy dipping sauce)
• 2 Tbsp mirin (candy rice wine)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce (Sempyo Yangjo 701 or Kikkoman)
• 1 Tbsp Korean anchovy fish sauce
• 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp floor black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ginger juice (from squeezing about 1/2 tsp minced ginger)

Chili Oil

• 6 Tbsp impartial flavored cooking oil, (e.g. rice bran oil or vegetable oil)
• 120 g / 4 oz onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)

For Blanching the Tofu

• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp high quality sea salt

Starch Slurry

• 2 Tbsp potato starch
• 2 Tbsp water

Garnish

• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp sesame seeds

* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml

Make Korean Fashion Mapo Tofu

1. Put together the sauce
Mix all of the sauce elements in a measuring cup or small bowl and stir till properly mixed. Put aside.

2. Make the chili oil.
In a pan, add the cooking oil, onion and minced garlic. Stir fry over medium-high warmth till the onion is softened and frivolously golden. Pressure the oil and discard the onion and garlic. Return the oil to the pan, add the chili flakes, and prepare dinner over low warmth till aromatic, stirring ceaselessly. Pressure the oil once more and discard the chili flakes. Set the oil apart. You need to have about 1/4 cup remaining.

3. Put together the tofu
Convey a pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Add the tofu and blanch for about 1 minute. Drain and put aside.

4. Prepare dinner the pork
Warmth 3 Tbsp of the ready Korean chili oil in a pan over medium-high warmth. Add the minced pork and prepare dinner till frivolously browned, breaking it up with a spatula because it cooks.

5. Construct the sauce
Pour within the ready sauce combination and stir to mix. Convey it to a delicate simmer and prepare dinner for two to three minutes.

6. Add the tofu
Gently add the tofu and thoroughly fold to mix. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, gently folding a few times.

7. End the dish
Scale back the warmth to medium. Pour within the starch slurry and stir gently till the sauce thickens and frivolously coats the tofu. Add the chili peppers and inexperienced onion, then fold them via. Drizzle with the remaining chili oil (about 1 Tbsp) and the sesame oil, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

8. Serve
Serve sizzling with rice.

Recipe Notes

• Tofu: I developed this recipe utilizing agency tofu, which holds its form properly within the sauce. In the event you choose a softer, extra conventional mapo tofu texture, you need to use tender or silken tofu as a substitute. A fast blanch in salted boiling water warms the tofu and helps it combine extra seamlessly into the sauce.
• Korean Anchovy Inventory provides further depth and umami to the sauce. In the event you don’t have it readily available, water works properly too, although the flavour shall be just a little lighter.
• Chili Oil: Prepare dinner the Korean chili flakes over low warmth to stop them from burning and turning bitter. The oil ought to change into aromatic and frivolously crimson, not darkish brown.
• Pork: For one of the best taste, prepare dinner the pork till frivolously browned with just a few crispy bits earlier than including the sauce.
• Starch Slurry: Decrease the warmth barely earlier than stirring within the slurry to assist it incorporate easily and create a silky sauce.
• Spice Degree: You possibly can simply alter the warmth by rising or reducing the quantity of gochugaru to fit your style. Completely different varieties can range in warmth stage, colour, and texture, so you might want to regulate the quantity accordingly.
• For Serving: A remaining drizzle of chili oil provides further aroma, colour, and richness simply earlier than serving.
• Storage: Leftovers might be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. The flavors proceed to develop as they sit, making it particularly scrumptious the following day.

Extra Tofu Recipes to Strive

In the event you get pleasure from cooking with tofu, listed here are just a few extra recipes to attempt:

Excited by making an attempt the normal Sichuan model? I like to recommend this wonderful recipe from The Woks of Life.

• Put together the sauce – Mix all of the sauce elements in a measuring cup or small bowl and stir till properly mixed. Put aside.

• Make the chili oil. – In a pan, add the cooking oil, onion and minced garlic. Stir fry over medium-high warmth till the onion is softened and frivolously golden. Pressure the oil and discard the onion and garlic. Return the oil to the pan, add the chili flakes, and prepare dinner over low warmth till aromatic, stirring ceaselessly. Pressure the oil once more and discard the chili flakes. Set the oil apart. You need to have about 1/4 cup remaining.

• Put together the tofu – Convey a pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Add the tofu and blanch for about 1 minute. Drain and put aside.

• Prepare dinner the pork – Warmth 3 Tbsp of the ready Korean chili oil in a pan over medium-high warmth. Add the minced pork and prepare dinner till frivolously browned, breaking it up with a spatula because it cooks.

• Construct the sauce – Pour within the ready sauce combination and stir to mix. Convey it to a delicate simmer and prepare dinner for two to three minutes.

• Add the tofu – Gently add the tofu and thoroughly fold to mix. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, gently folding a few times.

• End the dish – Scale back the warmth to medium. Pour within the starch slurry and stir gently till the sauce thickens and frivolously coats the tofu. Add the chili peppers and inexperienced onion, then fold them via. Drizzle with the remaining chili oil (about 1 Tbsp) and the sesame oil, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

• Serve – Serve sizzling with rice.

• 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml

Tofu: I developed this recipe utilizing agency tofu, which holds its form properly within the sauce. For a softer, extra conventional mapo tofu texture, you need to use tender or silken tofu as a substitute.
Korean Anchovy Inventory: This provides further depth and umami to the sauce. If you do not have it readily available, water works properly too, although the flavour shall be lighter.
Storage: Leftovers might be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. The flavors proceed to develop as they sit, making it particularly scrumptious the following day.

Energy: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fats: 29g | Saturated Fats: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 14g | Monounsaturated Fats: 8g | Trans Fats: 0.1g | Ldl cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 1761mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2053IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg

The vitamin data proven is an estimate supplied by an internet vitamin calculator. It shouldn’t be thought-about an alternative choice to an expert nutritionist’s recommendation.

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