• How to Make Mapo Tofu (Spicy) | 麻婆豆腐  Má pó dòufu
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Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is a great weeknight dish.  After a long day at work, this delicious dish is ready in 25 mins.  
Extra Spicy Mapo Tofu, is how I like mine.  The great thing about this recipe is you can control the level of spiciness because we're making this sauce from scratch.  For those that don't like spicy food, feel free to omit the chili sauce.  

I truly believe this is the best Mapo Tofu recipe in the world, because I haven't (yet) come across one that I like better.  My friends and family always ask me to make this and Taiwanese 3 Cup Chicken when they have their special request dinners nights. : )  If you're cooking for someone who's vegetarian, that's okay too.  I recommend making a Vegan Mapo Tofu dish using mushrooms instead of meat & substituting with vegetable broth.
Tip:  If you like Sour Picked Mustard Greens (a Taiwanese pickled vegetable), I highly recommend chopping some up and adding it near the end of the cooking time to give the dish some extra crunch!

Ingredients:

  • 1 block of fresh Tofu
  • 1 lb. of lean ground beef
  • small onion, diced
  • green onions, chopped
  • 3 - 5 garlic cloves, minced

For the sauce:
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 heaping Tbsp. garlic black bean sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. chili sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. corn starch
  • 2 1/4 cups. chicken stock
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Ready in Total Time:   25 min.

Prep Time = 10 min.
Cook Time = 15 min.*

Preparation:
For the full preparation method and instructions, watch my YouTube video tutorial here. 

* Total Cook time for the Mapo Tofu:
  1. Sauté the ground beef with all the ingredients (except for the tofu, chicken stock, and green onions)
  2. Once the mixture is cooked, add in the chicken stock and let it simmer for 5-10 mins.
  3. Stop to taste test and adjust the level of spiciness, salt, or sugar (if needed)
  4. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch & work quickly to stir
  5. Gently add in the tofu cubes and finally the green onions for garnish