Spicy Mapo Tofu Stir-Fried with Pork in Chili Oil
A spicy Mapo tofu dish stir-fried with doubanjiang and chili oil, perfect for serving over rice.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This Mapo tofu is stir-fried spicy to suit Korean tastes with doubanjiang and Cheongyang chili pepper. It features tofu blanched in advance in boiling salted water and thickened to just the right consistency with potato starch slurry. It is great served over warm rice as a rice bowl or enjoyed as a drinking snack.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Tofu1 block, 400 g
- Ground pork (or beef)100 g
- Green and red bell pepper1/3 each
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Scallions (jjokpa)3 stalks
- Chili oil2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Potato starch slurry1.5 tbsp
Meat marinade
- Soy sauce1 tbsp
- Cheongju (Korean rice wine) (or mirin (cooking rice wine))1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
Mapo tofu sauce
- Doubanjiang (chili bean paste)1.5 tbsp
- Soy sauce1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- Anchovy broth (or water)1 cup
- If you do not have doubanjiang, mix commercial doenjang and gochujang in equal parts to use instead.
- It is also great to add mushrooms or onions to make it more hearty.
- Omit the Cheongyang chili pepper when cooking for children.
Steps
This is a block of tofu weighing 400g. Cut it into cubes of about 1.5cm. Season the minced meat with mirin, soy sauce, and ground black pepper.
For color, I finely chopped a little bit of green and red bell pepper. Slice the scallions too.
It is also great to add mushrooms or onions to make it more hearty.
Because our family loves spicy food, I also finely chopped 1 Cheongyang chili pepper (omit for children).
It will be much easier to cook if you mix the sauce in advance according to the measurements.
If you do not have doubanjiang, you can make it by mixing doenjang and gochujang in equal parts.
You will need to adjust the seasoning with soy sauce or doubanjiang, so adjust it to your taste.
Blanch the tofu in boiling salted water, then pat dry the moisture.
Heat a pan, drizzle with chili oil, and stir-fry the minced garlic.
For how to make chili oil, see here: ttp://blog.naver.com/ppunwife/140040800941
Stir-fry over high heat until the garlic cooks and becomes fragrant.
Stir-fry the pork. When the surface of the meat turns white...
Add the Cheongyang chili pepper and bell peppers, and stir-fry briefly.
Pour in the prepared sauce...
Add the tofu and scallions as well, and bring to a boil.
Once the liquid begins to boil, lower the heat to low, add the potato starch slurry, and stir until thick.
1.5 tbsp of potato starch slurry seems to give just the right thickness.
This level of thickness is just right. If you add too much potato starch slurry, it becomes stiff and loses its soft, smooth texture.
Spicy Mapo tofu is complete.
If you cut the pork slightly larger and season it lightly, it also makes a great drinking snack.
It is truly delicious mixed into warm rice. I think adults will like this even more.
Have a happy day today as well.
Host: Ppunwife http://blog.naver.com/ppunwife/140049071161
Ppunwife's tips
- Doubanjiang is Chinese soybean paste fermented with dried chili peppers and other ingredients.
- It is convenient to prepare the sauce in advance according to the measurements before cooking.
- If you add too much potato starch slurry, it becomes stiff and loses its smooth texture.
- If you cut the pork slightly larger and season it lightly, it also makes a great drinking snack.
FAQ
How can I make the sauce if I do not have doubanjiang?
You can substitute it by mixing commercial doenjang and gochujang in a 1:1 ratio.
Is there a reason to blanch the tofu before cooking?
If you blanch the tofu first in boiling salted water and wipe off the moisture, it will be less likely to break apart during cooking.
What should I be careful about when adding the potato starch slurry?
You should lower the heat to low once the liquid boils before adding it, and it is important to reach the right thickness because adding too much will make the texture stiff.
How do I adjust the spiciness to eat with children?
If you omit the Cheongyang chili pepper while cooking, the spiciness is reduced, making it easy for children to enjoy.
