Mapo Tofu Recipe

I made a variation of mapo tofu using ingredients I had available in the kitchen today. Instead of using fermented black bean sauce, I prepared a thick and spicy sauce with tomatoes, chili bean sauce and dried red chiles. I also added diced carrots and peas to the traditional silken tofu for a bit more nutrition. If you want to tone down the spiciness, you could replace it with sweet and sour sauce instead.

This is a quick and easy vegetarian meal when we’re running out of ingredients and I'm just too lazy to run to the grocery store. Onions, carrots and frozen peas are always on hand in our kitchen and they go great together, so I often use them when I make mapo tofu. You can use pretty much whatever veggies are in your pantry though, so be creative!

Vegetarian Ma-Po Tofu

Ma-Po tofu (or Mapo tofu) is a combination of silken tofu and stir-fried vegetables in a chili garlic and black bean-flavored sauce. The sauce is a thick, (non-runny) spicy brown broth. It's a very popular vegetarian dish on the menu of many Chinese restaurants. Now you can make your own without stepping out of the house.

You can make it non-veggie by adding thin slices of beef quickly sautéed in garlic and scallions.