Mapo Tofu (Spicy Tofu with Sichuan Pepper)

A quick search on the internet tells me that the words “mapo tofu” – the name of the classic Sichuan Chinese dish of cubed tofu, ground meat, fermented black beans, red chile paste, and Sichuan peppercorns – translates as “Pockmarked-Face Lady’s Tofu.” Which is gross – or at least weird – but shouldn’t ruin your enjoyment of a truly delicious meal. If you’re not familiar with Sichuan cooking, and especially with the weird numbing effects of Sichuan peppercorns, mapo tofu might come on a little strong at first, but the generous dose of heat combined with the literally mouthwatering tingling from the Sichuan pepper make it all kinds of exhilarating.

I won’t lie – this recipe is kind of involved. There are some specialty ingredients – Sichuan peppercorns, red chile bean paste, and fermented black beans – that you’ll probably need to go to an Asian supermarket to find, and since it’s a stir-fry, you’ll need to have all your chopping and measuring done ahead of time, as you have to cook everything really quickly over high heat. Plus, this recipe takes advantage of a really cool technique for using tofu to substitute for ground meat that involves 24 hours of freezing, so, you know, you’ll have to plan ahead. But for all that, it’s totally worth it, as mapo tofu is one of the most well-known dishes in Sichuan cooking, and this meatless version is pretty much indistinguishable from versions made with beef or pork.

Another (possible) caveat is that this recipe – as made below –  is really spicy, though, as is typical of Sichuan cooking, the unique numbing effect of Sichuan pepper makes the heat from the chile paste and flakes much easier to take, and the cubed tofu helps absorb some of the heat. Still, this is right at the edge of how spicy I like things, so feel free to reduce the amount of chile paste or chile flakes (and then maybe serve with some chile oil or hot sauce at the table) if heat isn’t so much your thing. And however spicy you make yours, be sure to serve this with plenty of hot rice.

Ingredients

• 2 16-ounce packacges firm tofu
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 tablespoons neutral (canola, vegetable, etc.) oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red chile flakes
• 3 tablespoons red chile bean paste (I used Korean gochujang, since that's what was in my fridge, though Pixian toban jiang is probably ideal. You can also use chile-garlic sauce if that's what you have on hand)
• 1 tablespoon jarred fermented black beans
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 3 scallions, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

Method