MA PO TOFU

Because when it was previously posted here it was associated with the name of a notorious piece of human garbage, and that post got several views undoubtedly because of the food, it needs to be posted again without the connection to that man's name. He has nothing to do with it, and he's probably a nasty vegan to boot, so there is no need to bring him up.

MA PO TOFU (麻婆豆腐)

One block firm tofu (14 oz).
1/4 lb ground meat (preferably pork).
2 TBS hot chili paste.
2 TBS Szechuan hot bean paste (辣豆瓣醬; 'laat dau baan jeung').
2 TBS regular oil.
1 TBS chili oil.
½ TBS Szechuan peppercorns (花椒、山椒; 'faa-chiu', 'san-chiu'). roasted and finely ground.
½ Tsp fermented black beans (豆豉; 'dau-si') soaked and mashed.
2 scallions, cut to 2 inch lengths.
2 gloves garlic, chopped.
½ TBS soy sauce.
Quarter cup stock and a jigger of sherry.
Pinch of sugar, pinch of cornstarch - blended in a little hot water.


Cut tofu into chunks, blanch in gently boiling water, drain. Sauté the ground meat, garlic, and spicy bean paste in the two oils till the meat is no longer pink. Add the chili paste, dau si, and soy sauce, stir around to mix everything, then add the tofu, stock, and sherry. Cook, gently stirring (to prevent the tofu breaking up) for a few minutes, then add the fa-chiu, scallions, and the pinches of sugar and cornstarch which have been blended in a little hot water.
Stir a little longer and serve.

Berkeleyites and other vegans would leave out the meat. Or maybe substitute tempeh or tofurky. As the grafiti in Chinatown says: "no sugar, no salt, no msg, no meat = no flavor".

Goes great with gluten. Pehaps crusty French bread, for the sauce.
Or a nice mound of white rice. Never brown rice.
NOTHING goes with brown rice.



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