Best Spicy Tofu With Beef And Szechuan Peppercorns Recipes

MAPO TOFU RECIPE

Steps:

• Add a small pinch of salt and ground pepper. Mix well and set aside.
• Cut tofu into square cubes (around 2cms). Bring a large amount of water to a boil and then add a pinch of salt. Slide the tofu in and cook for 1 minute. Move out and drain. This helps to remove the raw soy flavor form tofu.
• Get a wok and heat up around 2 tablespoons of oil, fry the minced meat until crispy. Transfer out and leave the oil in.
• Add another 1 tablespoon of vegetable cooking oil and fry doubanjiang for 1 minute over slow fire until the red turns red (bring us a lovely red color dish) and add fermented black beans, garlic, scallion white and ginger, cook for 30 seconds until aroma. Optionally mix pepper flakes in. Pepper flakes should be added at the end because it contains little water and can be burnt easily.
• Pour in water or stock. Add light soy sauce, sugar and half of the cooked beef (providing more flavors to the soup) after the broth boils and let it continue simmering for 2-3 minutes. Place the tofu in, simmer for another 6-8 minutes. The longer time of simmering helps the tofu to absorb the flavors.
• During the process of simmering, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2.5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to make water starch. Stir the water starch and then pour half of the mixture to the simmering pot. Back push and wait for around 30 seconds and then pour the other half. You can slightly taste the tofu and add pinch of salt if not salty enough. Add cooked beef to creates some crispy texture and then drizzle sesame oil. Mix well.
• Transfer out when almost all the seasonings stick to tofu cubes. Sprinkle Szechuan peppercorn powder (to taste)and chopped garlic greens if using.
• Serve immediately with steamed rice.

MAPO DOFU: SPICY TOFU WITH MEAT SAUCE (SZECHWAN STYLE)

Steps:

• In a large sturdy frying pan (preferably a 12" one), saute the onions and the garlic in the oils until onions are somewhat tender (saute less if using green onions).
• Add in the ground meat and chop it up with your spatula as you stir-fry. Continue until meat is no longer pink (takes only a few minutes--do not overcook!).
• Add in ginger, chili paste (to taste--leave it out if cooking for a toddler), sake or other wine, soy sauce, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, skimming off fat, if needed.
• Add in the cubed tofu and stir gently, while trying to avoid breaking up the cubes. Cook only until tofu is coated and hot (not long!).
• Stir the cornstarch into a few tablespoons of water--just to moisten--and add this mixture slowly to the meat and tofu--stirring constantly.
• Scoop heaping portions of the mapo dofu over steamed white rice and let guests add in more chili paste, if they desire.

HOT AND SPICY TOFU AND BEEF

Steps:

• Combine soy sauce, sherry, chilli sauce, sugar and oyster sauce; stir. Marinate tofu cubes in the sauce ingredients for 15mins or more.
• Sprinkle ground beef with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in wok, stir fry onions, garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add dried chilli and scallion bottoms, stir fry for 1 minute.
• Add seasoned ground beef and continue to stir fry until browned.
• Add tofu and sauce, combine well. Let simmer 1-2mins.
• Add chilli flakes, if you like it really spicy!
• Add cornstarch mixture, stir fry until sauce thicken.
• Garnish with chopped scallion greens, and serve with jasmine rice.

SPICY TOFU WITH BEEF AND SZECHUAN PEPPERCORNS

Steps:

• Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, cut tofu into 1/2-inch cubes, and put into a bowl. Remove kettle from heat; when boiling subsides, pour water over tofu to cover. Let stand for 15 minutes, then drain in a sieve or colander. Transfer tofu to a bowl; set near stove. Measure out 1 1/3 cups water from kettle for sauce, and set next to tofu.
• In a large wok or skillet, toast peppercorns over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until richly fragrant and slightly darkened (you may see a wisp of smoke). Let cool, then pound with a mortar and pestle or grind in a spice grinder. Set aside.
• Heat oil in wok or skillet over high heat. Add ground meat, stirring and mashing into small pieces, until crumbly and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, chile flakes, black beans, and chile bean sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until beef is reddish brown and oil is slightly red. Add sugar and soy sauce, stir to combine, and add tofu. Gently stir or give wok a shake to combine without breaking up tofu too much.
• Pour in reserved water, and bring to a vigorous simmer. Cook until tofu absorbs flavors of sauce, about 3 minutes.
• Taste sauce, and add a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar, if needed. Add green onions; stir to combine. Stir in cornstarch, then add enough to mixture to thicken sauce. (Traditionally, the sauce should be more soupy than gravy-like.) Sprinkle in the ground peppercorns, give mixture one last stir, and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately with rice.