Name: Mapo tofu
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 2 x 280g packs tofu, cut into 3-4cm pieces; 4 tbsp vegetable oil; 300g pork mince; 7 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, finely chopped; 2 tbsp crushed sichuan peppercorns; 6 tbsp chilli bean paste (doubinjiang/toban jang, see cook's notes below); 6 tbsp shaoxing rice wine (see cook's notes below); 500ml light chicken stock; 8 spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle; 2 ½ tbsp cornflour; 1 ½ tbsp caster sugar; 2 tbsp chiu chow chilli oil (see cook's notes below)

Large pan of mapo tofu next to a bowl of rice

2 x 280g packs tofu
cut into 3-4cm pieces
4 tbsp vegetable oil
300g pork mince
7 cloves garlic
finely chopped
2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger
finely chopped
2 tbsp crushed sichuan peppercorns
6 tbsp chilli bean paste
(doubinjiang/toban jang, see cook's notes below)
6 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
(see cook's notes below)
500ml light chicken stock
8 spring onions
thinly sliced on an angle
2 ½ tbsp cornflour
1 ½ tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp chiu chow chilli oil
(see cook's notes below)

Method

step 1
Put the tofu into a bowl and pour over a kettle of just-boiled water and add a pinch of salt. Leave to soak while you make the sauce.
step 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan until smoking, then fry the pork mince for 4-5 minutes or until really crisp, breaking any lumps up with the side of a spoon. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, ginger and sichuan pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until smelling fragrant, then add the chilli bean paste and cook for 1 minute.
step 3
Add the shaoxing, chicken stock, ¾ of the spring onions and the tofu back to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp of cold water to make a paste, then add to the pan and mix. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened, then season with sugar and chilli oil.
step 4
Tip into a serving bowl and scatter with the remaining spring onions. Serve with rice, if you like.