According to Sylvain Mishima Brackett, mapo tofu is the Japanese version of the Chinese dish mapo tofu. Its unique flavor comes from dou banjiang, a Japanese Sichuan-style paste made with fermented fava beans and chili peppers, and is available at most Japanese grocery stores. And you should choose the best ground pork you can find. Mapo tofu can also be made with medium tofu or firm tofu, but I prefer the rich texture of silken tofu. Like curry, it is incomplete without rice.
Ingredients: 6-8 servings
- 2 packs of silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped ginger
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1-3 Thai birdseye chili peppers (stemmed, seeded and sliced)
- Minced pork 450g
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 8 tablespoons red miso
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons bean sauce (bean sauce if you can’t find it)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- chicken stock 590ml
- 2 tablespoons potato starch
For serving
- warm rice
- Ground Japanese pepper
- green onion slices
Method
- Cut the tofu into 2.5cm cubes and carefully place them in a bowl. Add warm tap water and cover.
- Heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil in a wok, 12 inch/30 cm cast iron pot, or casserole dish over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add the pork, break it up with a wooden spoon, and continue frying over high heat until the meat is browned. Reduce heat to medium and add onions. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Add miso and sugar, Tobanjan, pepper and chicken stock. Once it boils, reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the pork is tender. Gently add the cut tofu to the meat sauce and bring to a boil again.
- Combine potato starch with 1/4 cup/60ml cold water in a small bowl and stir gently. Mabo tofu. Cook for another minute or so until the sauce thickens.
- To serve, spoon the warm rice into a large bowl and gently add. Mabo tofu. Top with a pinch of Japanese pepper and a pile of thinly sliced green onions.
Recipe for “Rintaro California Izakaya Japanese Cuisine” Written by Sylvain Mishima Brackett, published by Hardy Grant, £30. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £23.99 (including P&P) call 020-3176 3835 or visit: theweekbookshop.co.jp.
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