Mapo tofu recipe
Here's my recipe for Korean-style mapo tofu. It's inspired by
Maangchi,
Korean Bapsang's, and
Just One Cookbook's
recipes. You can use soft, medium, or firm tofu.
I bloom the garlic, ginger, and gochujang in oil at the beginning to aim for the feeling of using chili oil. Since these ingredients burn easily, I start with them in a cold pan and then increase the heat while stirring to avoid scorching them. Be warned that the gochugaru might make you sneeze as it blooms.
Ingredients:
Main ingredients
- 1 package of tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes (454 g)
- 1/2 package (?) of ground pork or ground beef (227 g)
- 6 to 8 green onions (cut into 1-inch long pieces)
- 1 onion (cut into chunks, 1 cup)
- 1 + 1/4 cups stock (chicken, beef, etc.) — I mix 1 tsp of Knorr chicken broth mix into 1.25 cups of water
(1 cup will go into the main dish, the remaining 1/4 cup will be mixed with corn starch to form a slurry to thicken the final dish)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- toasted sesame oil
Aromatics:
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp gochujang
Steps
1. Cut/prepare the main ingredients and aromatics, and prepare the sauce.
2. Combine the garlic, ginger, gochugaru, and oil in a large frying pan. Heat it up over medium high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon for a minute or two until the mixture becomes aromatic.
3. Add the ground beef, breaking up the chunks with the wooden spoon. Let it cook for a few minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Try to let it develop some golden-brown crust.
4. Add the onion and green onion. Stir-fry for one to two minutes to soften the
vegetables.
5. Stir the sauce mixture into the pan and mix it to combine with the other
ingredients.
6. Add 1 cup of stock and cook for about 2 minutes until boiling.
7. Add the tofu cubes and gently coat with the sauce. Stir gently without breaking the tofu. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to warm the tofu through.
8. Make the slurry: combine the remaining 1/4 cup of stock and potato starch in a small bowl, mixing well. Add this to the mapo tofu and gently stir to incorporate until the sauce thickens.
9. Remove from heat. Drizzle in a little bit of sesame oil to top off the dish.
10. Serve with rice.
I bloom the garlic, ginger, and gochujang in oil at the beginning to aim for the feeling of using chili oil. Since these ingredients burn easily, I start with them in a cold pan and then increase the heat while stirring to avoid scorching them. Be warned that the gochugaru might make you sneeze as it blooms.
Ingredients:
Main ingredients
- 1 package of tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes (454 g)
- 1/2 package (?) of ground pork or ground beef (227 g)
- 6 to 8 green onions (cut into 1-inch long pieces)
- 1 onion (cut into chunks, 1 cup)
- 1 + 1/4 cups stock (chicken, beef, etc.) — I mix 1 tsp of Knorr chicken broth mix into 1.25 cups of water
(1 cup will go into the main dish, the remaining 1/4 cup will be mixed with corn starch to form a slurry to thicken the final dish)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- toasted sesame oil
Aromatics:
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp gochujang
Steps
1. Cut/prepare the main ingredients and aromatics, and prepare the sauce.
2. Combine the garlic, ginger, gochugaru, and oil in a large frying pan. Heat it up over medium high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon for a minute or two until the mixture becomes aromatic.
3. Add the ground beef, breaking up the chunks with the wooden spoon. Let it cook for a few minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Try to let it develop some golden-brown crust.
6. Add 1 cup of stock and cook for about 2 minutes until boiling.
7. Add the tofu cubes and gently coat with the sauce. Stir gently without breaking the tofu. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to warm the tofu through.
8. Make the slurry: combine the remaining 1/4 cup of stock and potato starch in a small bowl, mixing well. Add this to the mapo tofu and gently stir to incorporate until the sauce thickens.
9. Remove from heat. Drizzle in a little bit of sesame oil to top off the dish.
10. Serve with rice.
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