There is a four-word Chinese saying for cooking Mapo tofu: ‘numbing, spicy, hot, and integrated’. 

 

Mapo tofu, one of the most notable regional Chinese dishes has become a popular Sichuan dish around the world. It can be said that, “Tourists who don’t taste mapo tofu have not really visited Sichuan.” Because of its tasty flavor, it has become a famous dish not only in China, but also in Japan, Singapore, and many other countries.

The Dish Described

Mapo tofu is a combination of tender tofu and spicy chili-and-bean-based sauce, sprinkled with minced meat, usually pork or beef, and topped with some chopped scallion pieces. The snow-white bean curd, red beef, and green scallion contribute to a colorful, spicy, tender, and aromatic dish.

Origin

The Original Brand

The most authentic brand is Sichuan Chenshi Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐Mápó Dòufu). It is a dish handed down from imperial times, and the signature dish of Chen Mapo Tofu Restaurant .

The Story of Mapo Tofu

As to the beginning of Mapo Tofu, there are a lot of stories. The most popular one is that the dish was created in the early years of Tongzhi reign in Qing Dynasty(1856–75) by Chenshi, the wife of the owner of a small restaurant, located under Wanfu Bridge, in the northern suburbs of Chengdu(成都Chéngdū).

Mapo(麻婆Mápó)is the way Chinese describe a woman who has pitted face. Chenshi was the mapo(‘pit-faced woman’) who created the tofu dish, hence (Chenshi) mapotofu.

The restaurant where mapotofu appeared was originally called Chen Xingsheng Restaurant, located under a short but broad wooden bridge — Wanfu Bridge. Many passing street vendors and common workers liked to have a rest in the restaurant.

Oil couriers were major customers. They would buy some tofu and beef there, scoop out some vegetable oil from their consignment, and ask Mapo (Chenshi) to cook it into one dish. As time passed by, Mapo learned some unique skills and created a special dish.

The tofu she cooked was so tasty that everyone liked it, and her tofu gradually became famous during her lifetime. Therefore people called the tofu she cooked Chen Mapo Tofu, and her small restaurant was eventually renamed Chen Mapo Tofu Restaurant.

Thanks to the efforts of descendants of Chen Mapo over many generations, the restaurant has achieved lasting fame for more than 140 years, gaining high praise among connoisseurs.

How to Cook Mapo Tofu

Ingredients

500g fresh tofu, 120g vegetable oil, 150g minced (scalped) beef, 5.5g salt, 20 ml Mapo tofusauce (soy sauce), chili powder (to taste), 20g Pixian bean paste（郫县豆瓣 Píxiàn dòubàn）, 250g double-boiled soup (made from bone with ginger and pepper), 50g green garlic sprouts, soy sauce (to taste), 40g soy flour and water (the starchy sauce), (2g chicken powder), chili powder and chopped scallions (to taste).

Preparation

Choose a 500g piece of fresh and tender soft white tofu, not a pickled tofu. Check whether it is fresh by smelling it or kneading it. Dice the tofu into 2 cm (½–1″) cubes, and put them into a bowl of hot water to remove astringency.

Cooking

Heat up a wok with the prepared vegetable oil to around 80 °C. Fry the chopped beef in the wok till it becomes light brown, and then add the salt, Mapo tofu sauce, chili powder and Pixian bean paste. Keep frying.

Add the double-boiled soup and diced tofu, and use a moderate heat to cook till tasty. Add the garlic sprouts and soy sauce, cook for a few seconds and thicken with the starchy sauce. (Add chicken powder if you like.)

Servein a shallow bowl, topped with chili powder and chopped scallions.