Ma Po Tofu
Ingredients
- Pork:
- 4 ounces ground pork
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Stir-Fry Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- Ma Po Tofu:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Szechuan peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons Chinese black bean paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce (or more, depending on your preference)
- 1 pound firm tofu, drained, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 3 scallions, chopped
Preparation
To Marinate the Pork:
Mix the pork, soy sauce, tapioca starch, and salt together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, to Prepare the Stir-Fry Sauce:
Mix the water, cornstarch, sweet soy sauce, and oyster sauce together in a small measuring cup and reserve.
To Make the Ma Po Tofu:
Heat a large wok over high heat. Add the oil. When the first wisp of white smoke comes off of the wok, add the garlic and Szechuan peppercorns and stir until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
Add the marinated pork and cook until the pork is no longer pink, smashing the pork over the surface of the wok and scraping it from the pan, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the black bean paste and garlic chili sauce. Add the tofu and fold the pork mixture over the tofu. Pour the chicken stock over the tofu mixture and gently toss to coat the tofu.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the liquid reduces by about half, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the stir-fry sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat and continue simmering until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu, about 2 minutes.
Spoon the Ma Po Tofu into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.
