mandarin: mala doufu
this is the meatless version of the famous "mapo doufu," a sichuan (szechuan) favorite named after the "pockmarked mrs. chen" who supposedly invented it in the 1800's. unfortunately, the mapo doufu most people know - often with a brownish, pasty sauce, tofu mangled so badly it looks like oatmeal, and maybe even including peas or other veggies - is vastly different from the original. in fact, that "mutant" mapo doufu has taken over the restaurant world both in china and abroad, and also has saturated the world of online recipes.
in search for the original, authentic mapo doufu, i traveled to chengdu, sichuan where it all began, and ate at the famous "chen mapo doufu" restaurant (i wasn't a strict vegetarian at the time). what a difference! the sauce was red and black (not a uniform brown), it was unthickened by starch, and it wasn't weighed down by the sugar and other unnecessary additives used in many places. the flavors from the sichuan peppercorns, the chilies, the fermented bean sauces and other simple flavorings blended perfectly. i decided to track down the recipe and offer an english-language version with approximate measurements for all the people out there who are just plain tired of bad imitations.
no more mutant mapo doufu - this is the real thing. veggie style.
4 T vegetable oil
2. stir in and cook for about a minute:
1.5 T black soybean paste (dou chi)
1.5 T broad bean paste (dou banr jiang - make sure it's made with broad beans or fava beans, not soybeans)
ground chinese chilies to taste*
3. stir in gently (so as not to break the tofu), and simmer over medium heat for a few minutes:
1/4 c vegetable broth (use water if you have no broth)
1 block (12 oz) silken tofu, sliced into 1-inch cubes
4. stir in gently and simmer a few more minutes:
2 T soy sauce
1/2 c chopped green garlic sprouts (can substitute scallions)
5. after the sauce thickens and the garlic sprouts are tender, remove the mixture gently into a serving bowl (or deep plate), and sprinkle on top:
2 t ground sichuan peppercorn (huajiao fen)**
optional dash of black pepper
6. serve with rice. enjoy!
NOTES:
* often the broad bean paste and/or black soybean paste will contain chili peppers already, in which case any additional ground chilies are optional.
** "sichuan peppercorn" (huajiao or faa-chiu) is a uniquely chinese spice whose flavor is described as "numbing" (ma) because in large amounts it causes your tongue to lose feeling somewhat - kind of like novicane, but in a good way. it might also be referred to as "prickly ash" in some places. try to avoid the kind that is mixed with salt. this is really worth searching out, as its flavor is essential to this dish.
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