Mapo Tofu With Chinese Black Beans Sichuan Style

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 14 ounces tofu (medium or firm)
• 2 ounces ground lamb (substitute ground beef, turkey or chicken meat)
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 cup chicken soup base (or won ton powder)
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (non-sweetened brand, read label on bottle)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons black beans (chinese salted black beans) (optional)
• 3 tablespoons rice wine
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon bean sauce (amoy sichuan spicy noodle sauce) (optional)
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 tablespoon chili paste with garlic (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili pepper (optional)
• 3 tablespoons tapioca starch (substitute cornstarch)
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 scallions, cut up into small diagonal lengths (green onion)

Recipe

• 1 preparation.
• 2 rinse briefly the salted black beans in water to remove some of the salt and then add 2 or more tablespoons rice wine and soak for 15 minutes, set aside.
• 3 add grated ginger to the salted black beans.
• 4 in a bowl add the ground meat and 1 tablespoon soya sauce and mix, set aside.
• 5 in a measuring cup add 1/2 to 3/4 cup stock, oyster sauce, amoy sichuan spicy noodle sauce, garlic, chili paste with garlic, sugar, chili peppers, set aside.
• 6 cut up the tofu into bite size cubes, set aside.
• 7 in a cup add 3 tablespoons tapioca starch, 4 tablespoons stock, mix to create a watery mixture, set aside.
• 8 cooking directions.
• 9 in a wok (or teflon pan) add the peanut oil and when hot add the salted black bean mixture, stir for 1 minute.
• 10 add the ground lamb (or other meat) and stir to break up the pieces for about 1 minute.
• 11 next add the stock mixture, stir and bring to a boil.
• 12 add the tofu and gently toss (try not to break up the tofu), cover and let cook for 2 or more minutes, remove the cover and gently toss again, cover and let cook for 1 more minutes.
• 13 mix the tapioca starch and stock, remove the cover and then add ½ of the mixture and at the same time stir gently until the sauce becomes thick (add more of the tapioca mixture as needed).
• 14 add the scallions and sesame oil, briefly toss gentlyã¯â¿â½ now you are almost finished.
• 15 in individual plates add some rice and the black bean & tofu sauce on the side or on top.
• 16 enjoy.
• 17 notes:.
• 18 you can substitute ingredients like using sweet oyster sauce or eliminating the salted black beans and also reducing a little of the spicy ingredients for a milder dish.
• 19 the photo shows that i used scotch bonnet peppers which are extremely hot, so substitute other types to your liking.
• 20 you can use the soft tofu, but it will break down more easily when stirring and also release more liquid as well.
• 21 if you add to much stock (1/2 to 3/4 is good) or the softer types of tofu the sauce will become to thinnerã¯â¿â½ and you will then need to add more of the tapioca starch mixture for a thicker sauce.
• 22 the amoy sichuan spicy noodle sauce (fermented salted soybean, chili, garlic) is a great ingredient for this spicy dish or use other types of sauce found on asian food store shelves.