Vegan MAPO TOFU Recipe (Sichuan) | Dinner or Lunch Ideas | Vegetarian MAPO Tofu Recipe

tofu

🥗Healthier: tempeh

💰Cheaper: silken tofu

Tempeh adds protein and texture, while silken tofu is often less expensive.

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: tamari

💰Cheaper: liquid aminos

Tamari is gluten-free, while liquid aminos offers a similar flavor.

Wipe shiitake mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove dirt; remove stems if necessary but save them for vegetable stock.

Thinly slice the mushrooms in one direction, then cross-cut into tiny pieces to simulate ground pork.

Cut the tofu into small cubes, about 1 inch, using a sharp knife; be gentle to avoid breaking it.

Toast Sichuan peppercorns over gentle heat until fragrant to bring out essential oils; grind them into a powder using a mortar and pestle.

Boil the tofu for about 60 seconds to firm it up; after boiling, it should have a smooth surface and slight jiggle.

Heat a wok over medium-low heat and add neutral oil; once hot, add shiitake mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the wok; sauté for about 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.

Add 3/4 of the ground Sichuan peppercorns to the wok, saving the rest for garnish; stir to infuse the oil with flavor.

Add chili bean paste and black bean sauce to the wok; stir and cook until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.

Pour in water to create a sauce; stir to mix all ingredients and scrape any sticky bits from the bottom of the wok, bringing it to a boil.

Once boiling, add the cornstarch slurry (1 part cornstarch to 1 part cold water) to thicken the sauce; it will thicken quickly.

Gently add the tofu to the sauce using a folding motion instead of stirring to avoid breaking the tofu; turn off the heat.

Garnish with chopped scallions and transfer to a serving bowl; sprinkle with remaining ground Sichuan peppercorns and more scallions on top.

Serve over steamed rice, optionally drizzling with homemade chili oil.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary