Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)
Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) Simmered Tofu in Spicy Bean Sauce
Mapo tofu (doufu) is a tofu and meat dish cooked in a spicy chilli bean sauce. It is a popular dish in Sichuan (Szechuan) cuisine. Growing up, I really love this dish and I was delighted whenever my family ordered it. The dish packs a fiery savoury punch and we always needed more rice than usual to enjoy all of the spicy sauce. The sauce has a numbing and lip-stinging effect depending on how much Sichuan pepper is added, though the home cooked version is usually toned down in terms of numbness. I never imagined that cooking this dish at home can be so cheap and easy. I have cooked this dish so often that I can now make it in about 20 minutes from preparation to end. If you like a localised version of Mapo Tofu without the dou ban jiang (豆瓣酱) and Sichuan pepper, do check out my simmered tofu with minced pork recipe.
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The name of the dish 麻婆豆腐 (source: Wiki) literally translates to “Pockmarked-Face Lady’s Tofu” – where legend tells of the pockmarked-face lady who ran an inn on the outskirts of the city selling this popular dish. Another plausible but less widely acceptable explanation for the name is that the word “Ma” (麻) relates to the numbing effect of the Sichuan pepper used to cook this dish.
Get the printable recipe for Mapo Tofu on page 2)
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I LOVE mabo tofu too!! The hotter and more mouth-numbing, the better. I like to see the sauce super dark red. Just looking at this post and thinking about it is making my mouth water. Have to make it this week!
I cook that days ago!! Love that chilli bean sauce~ thanks for the recipe, Wify
Aw, my all-time favourite dish. I can have a large bowl of rice with this dish. :)
Ha! I cooked the same thing yesterday, also used the LKK chili bean sauce. :)
Yes, the classic sauce for sure. I wonder what else can we do with the sauce other than to make ma po tofu?
This is so good with rice! Happy holidays!
Hi Wiffy! Love mapo dofu, always so appetizing and such a rice puller :D
Btw, wanted to let u know that the name of my blog has changed from Tastes of Home to “Smoky Wok”..
Mapo tofu is one of my favorite things to order at restaurants, but I’ve never made it at home. I have to try making it!
One of my favorite dishes — could eat a quart of rice with this stuff 8).
I love mapo tofu! I just made some the other night, too. Yum!
Found you on foodgawker … And so glad I did because Ma Po Tofu is my FAVORITE! It totally takes me back to my spicy childhood memories.
Thanks for the recipe; I will be making it for sure as soon as the weather decides that 90 degrees is no longer fitting for the month of October.
I want this for supper tonight. I really like that 15 minute deadline, and I have everything on hand to make it. Yum.
I just cooked this last night for friends and they LOVED it, including my ‘ang mo’ hubby! He normally doesn’t like tofu so you know this dish is yummy! I am a Singaporean living in the UK and a friend sent me your page. I have tried about five or six recipes and have increased my repertoire so thank you!!! What I like is that most of the recipes are quick and easy to follow, which is great after a hard day at work.
Hi wiffy
Is it possible to change the minced pork to minced beef?
Hi shariffa, you can change to either minced beef or chicken.
Hi there! I love your website! Great recipes, photos and tips on cooking! Very informative and useful for a noob like me. You are definitely not a noob if you could amass such a diverse range of recipes. I can see that you are a very experienced cook!
I cooked this dish too with exactly the same sauce you’re using but with much lesser ingredients. For me, it’s just the minced meat, tofu, garlic and chilli bean sauce. It goes really well with rice I must say!
I’ll certainly try out some of your recipes! :)
thank you, your version sounds good too :)