Extra Pepper Mapo Tofu

This is a serious Mapo tofu recipe I spent years of time developing.

If you don't have ingredients or want to cook roughly, please skip this one.

Because 1g matters.

And please don't use German standard =extra firm tofu for this recipe.

I can only suggest very soft or silky tofu.

At the event we used "very soft " tofu.

Ingredients

( for the base chili oil for 3 servings of mapo tofu )

1/4tsp of Chinese chili flakes

10g roasted sesame oil

👉At the event we only prepared 1/4 tsp chili with 10g oil.

If you want to add some chili oil as topping.

triple the amount and save some for the step 11.

Extra pepper Mapo tofu

A pot

1000ml water for boiling tofu

4g salt

450g very soft or silky tofu (diced)

(for the sauce)

A frying pan

30g vegan mushroom sauce or vegan oyster sauce

15g Toban Djan 　OR Gochujan =for an GF option use miso+chili+sesame oil

10g dark soy sauce =for an GF option use GF soy sauce

In total 10g of fresh spices ( fermented beans/garlic/ginger/chili/coriander root)

2g raw cane sugar

2g brewer's yeast =for an GF option use GF nutritional yeast

25g VTP (dried)

＋50ml water (to add with spices)

＋200ml water (to add with tofu)

(to thicken the sauce)

5g corn starch and 20g water

(for the topping)

Sesame chili oil (see step 1)

10g green onion (chopped)

10pieces of Szechuan peppercorns

5 cracks of black pepper to taste

STEP 1

Chop all the fresh spices finely.

Add chopped spices in sesame oil in the frying pan.

Let it sizzle for 2 to 3 minutes over a low to medium heat.

(At the event we added 10g oil but you could add more chili and oil ↓）

STEP 2

Slice soft tofu into cubes. (450g)

Boil them in a hot water with a pinch of salt for at least 2minutes.

It is not necessary to boil the water to 100°C.

But needs to be above 80°C.

Is this step step important ？

YES!

When you boil "silky or very soft tofu" it prevents tofu from collapsing in the next steps.

Also a lot of water comes out of tofu and they absorb more sauce in the next steps.

This is why you should always boil them.

However if you use" firm tofu "don't boil them so they won't be too firm.

STEP 5

Turn off the heat.

Add VTP(dried soy product) in the same pan without boiling them.

Stir it for 1 minute.

STEP 6

Add Toban Djan or gochujan (they are both spicy miso paste) and vegan Oyster sauce .

Saute until fragrant over a medium high heat.

If it seems too thick , add some (about 50g) water already.

(We need to add 250ml water in total but save the most for the step 8 )

STEP 7

Scoop boiled tofu from the pot and add them into the sauce.

STEP 8

Add dark soy sauce(10g) and brewer's yeast(2g), sugar(2g).

Brewer's yeast is so light but it's surely 2g.

And add the rest of the water.(about 200g)

Let it cook for a while.

STEP 9

Prepare your starchy water.

Stir water (20g) and corn starch (5g) well in a small bowl.

STEP 10

Pour in starchy water.

Stir it once gently over a high heat.

If you like the dish spicier add extra sesame chili oil (base oil).

STEP 11

Keep heating on a high heat until you see the red oil floats on the surface.

(The sauce will get runny over time if it is not cooked long enough and you end up adding more starch)

Check out these images This is not ready ↑

This is ready ↓

STEP12

Grind toasted Szechuan pepper corns.

Mapo tofu is ready.

Serve it with Szechuan pepper ,black pepper and chopped onions.(optional)

Needless to say, it goes well with rice too.

At another event I served it with boiled bok choi.