Spicy Sichuan Beancurd
1 min readMa Po Dou Fu
2x285g packets silken(soft) tofu(beancurd)
2 tablespoons groundnut or vegetable oil
250g minced beef
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
2tablespoons chilli bean sauce
1tablespoon dark soy sauce
1tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
2teaspoons sugar
2teaspoon salt
150ml(4 pint) chicken stock or water
2 teaspoons roasted ground Sichuan peppercorns
2 teaspoons sesame oil
The essence of this recipe lies in the seasonings and condiments; their quality and the care taken in cooking them just right-one of the most delicious ways to enjoy tofu.
1. Gently cut the tofu into 1 cm(2 inch) cubes and drain on kitchen paper for 10 minutes.
2. Heat a wok until it is hot, then add the groundnut or vegetable oil. When the oil is hot and slightly smoking, add the beef and stir-fry for 2 minutes to partially cook. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. Then add the chilli bean sauce and soy sauce and continue to stir-fry for another minute. Add the rice wine or sherry, sugar and salt and continue to stir-fry for 30 seconds.
3. Add the stock or water and the tofu to the wok and cook for 3 minutes over a high heat. Then stir in the ground Sichuan peppercorns and sesame oil. Ladle the mixture into a serving bowl and serve with rice.
