Mapo Tofu

Mapo Tofu Ingredients

4-6 dried red chilies2 Tbsp Sichuan peppercorns1 box of firm tofu, cut into 1” cubes3 Tbsp olive oil1 lb ground beef2 Tbsp fermented spicy bean sauce2 fresh Thai chili peppers, chopped2 Tbsp chopped garlic2 Tbsp minced ginger1 1/2 cup chicken broth or water1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp water1 Tbsp sesame oil1 scallion, chopped

Instructions

Prepare the chili peppercorn flakes:heat dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns in a pan with 1 Tbsp oil for about 30 seconds to a minute to release the fragrance; take out of the pan, finely chop them and set asidePrepare tofu:In a large pot, put in 6 cups of water and 1 Tbsp of salt, bring to a boil, add the cubed tofu and cook for 1 minute, drain and set aside1 Heat up the wok, add olive oil and ground beef, sauté until beef is browned2 Add in spicy bean sauce, fresh chilies, garlic, ginger and half of the chili peppercorn flakes, stir well until the oil turns red, about 3 minutes3 Add water and prepared tofu, let simmer for 15-20 minutes to let the tofu soak up the sauce, salt and pepper to taste if needed4 Thicken the sauce with cornstarch water5 Take out the mapo tofu and put it on a plate, garnish with sesame oil, scallion and the rest of the chili peppercorn flakes(please adjust the peppercorn flakes to your tolerance of spicy)