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Recipe details are AI-generated from the video and may contain errors — for reference only.
Place 400g firm tofu on the cutting board and cut into 1.2 cm small cubes. Set aside in a bowl.
Watch out
Keep your knife strokes smooth when cutting tofu to avoid crushing the soft block.
Thoroughly clean the cutting board, knife, and hands after processing raw beef to prevent cross-contamination. Raw meat carries bacteria; handle separately from ingredients that will not be fully cooked.
Prepare 50g beef with a bit of fat. Cut into thin strips first, then mince finely with a cleaver.
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Using slightly fatty beef makes the minced meat tastier and more aromatic when fried crisp.
Finely chop 15g pickled ginger, 20g pickled chili, and 1 green garlic sprout separately. Set aside.
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Chop the pickled ginger and chili finely so their unique flavors release quickly into the oil.
In a small bowl, place 10g dried bullet chili and 5g green Sichuan peppercorn.
Watch out
Green Sichuan peppercorn gives a refreshing numbing sensation, while bullet chili adds rich spiciness.
Heat wok, add 10ml vegetable oil. When medium hot (150°C), add dried chili and peppercorns. Stir-fry over low heat for 10 seconds until light brown and fragrant, then transfer out.
local_fire_departmentlow heat, about 10 secondsWatch out
Keep heat low
otherwise dried chilies burn quickly and turn bitter
Transfer roasted chili and peppercorns onto a cutting board. Press down with the flat side of a knife while hot to crush, then chop finely into handmade knife-cut chili powder.
Watch out
Crush while hot
once cooled down, spices absorb moisture and become tough to chop finely
Measure 5g Yongchuan fermented black beans (about 10-15 grains) and set aside.
Add 400ml water and 3g salt into wok, put in cut tofu cubes. Blanch over medium-low heat for 1 minute to remove raw bean taste. Drain tofu as water approaches boiling point.
local_fire_departmentmedium-low heat, blanch for 1 minuteWatch out
Salting firms up tofu. Remove before water rolls to a hard boil
otherwise tofu breaks easily
Reheat the wok, swirl with hot oil to lubricate, and pour out. Add 15ml rapeseed oil and heat up, then melt in 10g lard.
local_fire_departmentmedium heatWatch out
Swirling hot oil in hot wok prevents minced beef from sticking during stir-frying.
Add minced beef into wok. Stir-fry over medium-low heat until moisture evaporates and beef becomes crispy and fragrant.
local_fire_departmentmedium-low heatWatch out
Stir-fry beef until completely free of moisture
otherwise it tastes soggy instead of crisp
Add 15g Pixian doubanjiang, chopped pickled ginger 15g, pickled chili 20g, and 5g fermented black beans. Stir-fry over medium-low heat until fragrant and red oil surfaces.
local_fire_departmentmedium-low heatWatch out
Stir-fry bean paste on medium-low heat to extract clear red oil without scorching.
Add 5g prepared knife-cut chili powder, stir-fry evenly, then pour in about 200ml water.
local_fire_departmentmedium-low to high heatWatch out
Add water quickly after stirring in chili powder to prevent chili from burning.
Bring broth to a boil over high heat. Season with 1g salt, 1g MSG, 2g sugar to balance flavors, and 1g dark soy sauce for rich reddish-brown color.
local_fire_departmenthigh heatWatch out
Use dark soy sauce sparingly
too much dark soy sauce turns sauce black instead of bright red
Add blanched tofu cubes into the simmering broth. Simmer over low heat for 3 minutes (5 minutes for home stovetops) so the tofu thoroughly absorbs flavor.
local_fire_departmentlow heat, simmer for 3 minutesWatch out
Push tofu gently using the back of a ladle
never stir aggressively or the tofu cubes will break
1st thickening stage: Pour in about 10g of thin cornstarch slurry. Gently push with the back of a ladle to coat tofu lightly, making it silky and tender.
local_fire_departmentmedium-low heatWatch out
Make the first slurry thin to lightly lock moisture into tofu without clumping.
2nd thickening stage: Remove wok off heat, pour in 10g of slightly thicker slurry, then return to stove and push gently to tighten the sauce.
local_fire_departmentoff heat then medium heatWatch out
Take wok off heat before adding slurry so starch thickens smoothly without lumping.
3rd thickening stage: Remove wok off heat again, pour in 10g of thickest slurry to fully wrap sauce around tofu ('bao qian'). Return to stove, drizzle 5ml oil for gloss, gently shake wok and turn off heat.
local_fire_departmentoff heat then medium heat to offWatch out
Slurry concentration must increase each time
finishing with oil gives sauce a glossy shine
Pour Mapo Tofu neatly onto a serving plate. Evenly sprinkle remaining 5g knife-cut chili powder and 15g chopped garlic sprouts on top before serving.
Watch out
Tofu retains heat internally
eat carefully as it is extremely hot
