Ma Po Tofu - Styles in the Kitchen

Now, I have to tell you something I don’t love tofu, I especially don’t like the fried tofu puffs that they put in laksa’s etc. But I do love the tofu in this recipe, it provides a delicate, neutral contrast to the slightly salty and spicy beef mince sauce. Served over steamed rice, I prefer sushi rice but any short grained rice will do, with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and sliced spring onions it is delicious. Don’t believe me? Well, you will just have to give it a go. This recipe is from “At Home with Ben” by Ben O’Donaghue and should serve 4 but you know teenagers!

Ingredients

2 tbsp neutral oil
300gm beef mince
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
1 tbsp chilli bean paste (toban jiang)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
2 tbsp corn flour
250ml salt reduced chicken stock
300gm silken tofu, diced
1 spring onion, sliced on an angle for garnish
toasted sesame oil, to taste

All the chopping done!

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large frypan and stir fry the beef mince, stirring with a spatula until the meat is separated and cooked. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the wok with some paper towel.

Reheat the wok and add the remaining oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and spring onions and fry for 2 -3 minutes.

Return the mince to the wok and combine. Add the chilli bean paste and combine.

Pour in the soy sauce and rice wine and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Combine the cornflour and stock. Add to the mince mixture to thicken and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.

If the mixture is too thick, thin with a little water. Add the tofu and gently stir. You will notice that I kept the tofu in quite large pieces. This is because no matter how carefully you stir it into the sauce you can’t help but break it up a bit!