Silken Mapo Tofu, a Hearty One-Bowl Meal
A tender silken tofu Mapo tofu flavored with doenjang and gochujang instead of doubanjiang.
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 →
A simple 2-serving one-bowl dish made with store-bought doenjang and gochujang when you do not have doubanjiang. Made with silken tofu, it melts softly in your mouth and is wonderful served over rice as a rice bowl meal.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Silken tofu (yeondubu)1 pack (240 g)
- Minced meat100 g
- Large green onion (daepa)3 tbsp (minced)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Red chili pepper1
- Water1 cup
- Potato starch1 tbsp
- Water1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Cooking oil2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
Meat marinade
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
Seasoning
- Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)1 tsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1 tsp
- Oyster sauce (or regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- For the minced meat, you can use any of beef, pork, or chicken.
- You can use regular soy sauce instead of oyster sauce, and if using doubanjiang, add about 1 tbsp and omit the gochujang and doenjang.
- You can prepare vegetables according to what is in your fridge, such as onion, scallions, or mushrooms.
- If you place the silken tofu on a plate and slice it small, the water will drain out; simply pour off the liquid that gathers right up until cooking.
Steps
1. For the minced meat, beef, pork, or chicken are all fine.
I used pork. You can use regular soy sauce instead of oyster sauce.
Instead of using doubanjiang, I prepared equal parts of store-bought doenjang and gochujang.
If using doubanjiang, add about 1 tbsp and omit the gochujang and doenjang.
For vegetables, you can prepare onion, scallions, mushrooms, or whatever you have in the fridge.
2. Season the meat lightly by mixing it with soy sauce, mirin, and black pepper.
If the meat odor bothers you, adding about 1 tsp of ginger juice is also good.
3. Finely chop or thinly slice the chili peppers and large green onion.
4. Add all the seasoning ingredients together and mix well.
5. If you place the silken tofu on a plate and slice it small, liquid will slowly drain out.
Just pour off the water that gathers right up until cooking.
6. Mix 1 tbsp of potato starch and 1 tbsp of water in advance...
When adding it during the cooking process (step 14), stir it once more so any starch settled at the bottom mixes back in.
7. Gently warm a pan, add cooking oil, and stir-fry the gochugaru without burning to make chili oil.
8. Add the meat, stir quickly, and stir-fry until cooked through.
10
9. Pour in 1 cup of water...
10. Add the mixed seasoning sauce...
11
12
11. Add the large green onion and chili peppers, bringing it to a rolling boil...
12. Add the silken tofu...
13
14
13. Gently stir so the flavors blend together, and simmer briefly.
14. Pour in the starch slurry evenly all over the pan rather than in just one spot...
Gently stir until thickened, and finish by adding toasted sesame oil at the end.
Ppunwife's tips
- Traditional homemade doenjang has too strong of an aroma, so it is not recommended.
- If the meat odor bothers you, adding about 1 tsp of ginger juice is also good.
- Pour the starch slurry evenly across the entire pan rather than in just one spot.
FAQ
How do I use doubanjiang if I have it?
If you use doubanjiang, add about 1 tbsp and omit the gochujang and doenjang from the seasoning.
Can I use homemade doenjang or traditional fermented soybean paste?
Traditional doenjang has too strong of a distinct aroma, so using store-bought doenjang is recommended.
What cut of minced meat should I use?
You can use whichever you prefer or have in your fridge among beef, pork, or chicken.
