Mapo Tofu (Spicy Tofu)

Fresh blocks of tofu are easy to find these days.  I buy Trader Joe’s Organic Tofu, which has a firmer texture and therefore holds up better during stir frying.  However, if you use a regular (non-organic) block of tofu, it could be a bit softer and may not hold its shape as well.  To help avoid this, after you cut your tofu into ½” cubes, add them to a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain completely before using in this recipe.  Or, just buy "Firm" tofu.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek chili paste* (found in Asian section of most supermarkets)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper*

2 teaspoons corn starch

4 teaspoons cold water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 ounces ground pork**

19 ounces fresh tofu, drained and cut into ½” cubes
3/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Steamed white rice or brown rice

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, chili paste, salt, and cayenne pepper; set aside.  In a smaller bowl, dissolve the corn starch in the water; set aside.  Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or deep sauté pan over high heat.  Add ground pork, breaking into smallest pieces possible, and stir-fry until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.  Add tofu, gently stir-fry for about 30 seconds; add reserved sauce and stir-fry until sauce is evenly distributed, about 1 minute.  Add chicken broth; continue to stir fry for about 1 minute.  Add corn starch and water mixture; stir fry until sauce begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat; sprinkle with green onions.  Serve over steamed white rice or brown rice.

*Note: this is a 4 star spicy dish; to alter the spiciness down to 3 stars or 2 stars, decrease the amounts of red cayenne pepper and chili paste to 2/3 or ½ the amounts listed  in the recipe.

**Another note:  the smallest quantities of ground pork at the grocery store come in packages ranging from ½ pound to ¾ pound.  (If you don’t have a kitchen scale to measure 2 ounces and want to go by a “visual measure”, it’s about ¼ cup of ground pork).  What do you do with the leftover ground pork?  Divide it up into individual 2 ounce portions and freeze for next time.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap first, then wrap again in aluminum foil.  Store all these little packages in a large re-sealable bag in the freezer.  They will thaw out quickly for the next time you make Mapo Tofu.