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Mapo Tofu : The Recipe
Mapo tofu needs no introduction. The pillars of Sichuan cuisine have sufficiently infiltrated main-stream gastro culinary culture that any foodist worth his weight in dimes has a good idea what it is and might have even tasted off-versions of it in passing. I have never been able to find decent mapo tofu outside China. Too oily, too salty, too watery, not enough red, not enough numb, not enough sauce. A myriad elements need to be right, the temperature of the wok scorching, the peppercorns freshly roasted and crushed, starch mixture added at the right moment with the right consistency; resulting in small silken cubes- not crumbles- of tofu, bathed in a glistening red elixir. Over rice, this is one of the simplest yet greatest mouthfuls you’ll ever have. The mecca of mapo tofu is ever elusive and always just out of reach. In 2008, I took some classes at the Sichuan Culinary Institute under the tutelage of one of the most sought after chefs in the country. Read the account here. Of the classic Sichuan dishes I learned, including shui zhu yu “waterboiled” fish, dan dan mian, and yuxiang qiezi “fish fragrant eggplant”, the mapo tofu was the only dish I retained and made many times afterwards. The ingredients can be found in any decently stocked Chinese supermarket, and with the right ingredients and mastery of technique, its hard to ever trust any mom and pop restaurant to prepare this again. After tasting the work of master chefs in Sichuan, I’ve even gone as far as dethroning my mother from her place in my memory as the priestess of mapo tofu. She will always be credited for introducing this dish to me, and responsible for the intense addiction I’ve nursed over the years. Every foodist has a sacred dish. One’s last meal on earth should the choice prevail. This is mine. Read more at Jing Theory
