Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu
Submitted by cassi6981
Fiery Sichuan-style ma po tofu with dried mushrooms, chili oil, brown bean sauce, and homemade Szechwan peppercorn powder. All the numbing heat, zero meat.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsReal ma po tofu is supposed to make your lips tingle and your forehead sweat. This vegetarian version doesn’t pull any punches.
Silky tofu cubes get tossed in a blazing sauce built on chili oil, brown bean sauce, dried Chinese mushrooms, and Sichuan preserved vegetables.
Ginger, garlic, and scallions lay the aromatic foundation, while green peas add little bursts of sweetness against all that heat.
The finishing move? A dusting of homemade Szechwan peppercorn powder that delivers that signature numbing tingle called “ma la” in Chinese.
This is Sichuan cooking at its most electric, and you don’t need a single scrap of meat to get there.
Chef Tips
- Soak the dried mushrooms for the full hour. Shortcutting this step means chewy, tough pieces in your final dish.
- Blanching the tofu in hot water firms it up so the cubes hold their shape during stir-frying.
- Toast and grind your own Szechwan peppercorns fresh. Pre-ground powder loses its punch fast.
- Toss the tofu gently in the wok. Aggressive stirring will break the cubes apart.
Ingredients
Directions
Cover mushrooms with hot water and let stand 1 hour. Drain; cut off stems. Rinse caps well; squeeze dry. Cut into ⅛ inch dice. Set aside.
Place tofu in large sieve. Bring 8 cups water to boil. Pour into metal bowl just larger than sieve.
Place sieve gently in water. Let tofu soak 30 minutes. Drain tofu.
Mix mushrooms and preserved vegetable in medium bowl. Mix 5 tablespoons water and next 8 ingredients in small bowl.
Heat vegetable oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat 1 minute.
Add green onions, garlic and ginger and stir-fry 1 minute. Add mushroom mixture and stir-fry 1 minute.
Stir broth mixture. Add to wok with peas and stir-fry until sauce boils, about 1 minute.
Add tofu and toss gently to coat with sauce. Cook 2½ minutes, tossing gently. Divide between plates. Sprinkle Szechwan powder over (recipe follows).
SZECHWAN PEPPERCORN POWDER: (Makes about 4 teaspoons) Heat heavy frying pan or wok over medium-low heat 1 minute.
Add 1 tablespoon whole Szechwan peppercorns and stir until aromatic, about 4 minutes.
Transfer to blender. Cool 10 minutes. Blend to a fine powder. Store at room temperature.
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