VEGETARIAN MAPO TOFU RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Slice mushroom, chop garlic, ginger, spring onion white, doubanjiang and fermented black beans.
• Cut tofu into square cubes (around 2cms). Bring a large amount of water to a boil and then add a pinch of salt. Slide the tofu in and cook for 1 minute. Move out and drain.
• Fry doubanjiang for 1 minute over slow fire until the oil turns red and then add garlic, scallion white, ginger and fermented black beans to cook for 30 seconds until aroma. Then fry mushrooms until soft.
• Add water to the seasonings and bring to boil over high fire. Gently slide the tofu cubes. Add light soy sauce and sugar.Slow the heat after boiling and then simmer for 6-8 minutes. Drizzle some sesame oil.
• Stir the water starch and then pour half of the mixture to the simmering pot. Wait for around 30 seconds and then pour the other half. You can slightly taste the tofu and add pinch of salt if not salty enough.
• Transfer out when almost all the seasonings stick to tofu cubes. Sprinkle Szechuan peppercorn powder (to taste).

Steps:

• To Prep Softened the shiitake mushrooms by soaking for about 10 mins. Keeping the water for later, remove the mushrooms, discard the stems and chop the caps finely. Soak eggplant in cold water 2-3 times and drain. This helps to remove bitterness. Heat water in a saucepan in medium-high to just before boiling. Add the tofu cubes and turn the heat to medium-low when the tofu begins to sway. Simmer for 2-3 mins and drain. Combine all sauce ingredients with the shiitake water and mix well. To Cook In a wok, heat the sesame oil along with the garlic, ginger, leeks, shiitake, eggplants and chilli bean paste. Stir-fry for 3 mins. Add the sauce mixture to the wok and bring to boil. Turn the heat to medium and add in the tofu. Stir gently without breaking the tofu, then summer for about 5 mins before turning off the heat. Sprinkle some sansho or Sichuan pepper and garnish with spring onions. Serve with rice.