Kung Pao Chicken
Sweet-sour-spicy Sichuan chicken with crisp peanuts.
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Mapo Tofu
Silky tofu cubes in a red, tingly bean-paste sauce with minced beef. Adapted for a home kitchen from the original ClouChef R&D report — 麻婆豆腐, report 2.
Original poster image from clouchef.com (poster: 麻婆豆腐_2.jpeg). This is the hero poster only, not a step-by-step photo set.
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 25 minutesServings: 2 with riceDifficulty: Easy–MediumRegion: SichuanFlavour: Mala (numbing-spicy)
Why this works
The original report's structure is: blanch the tofu so it holds its shape and loses its beany taste, fry the bean paste gently until the oil turns red, simmer briefly so the tofu absorbs flavour, then thicken in two stages so the sauce clings without clumping. The final Sichuan pepper and hot oil are added off the heat, so the tingle stays bright instead of turning bitter.
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Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | Substitute / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft or silken tofu, cut into 2 cm cubes | 10.6 oz | 300 g | Original: tender tofu. Medium-firm tofu holds up better for beginners (adaptation). |
| Minced beef | 1.8 oz | 50 g | Original allows minced pork as a substitute. |
| Pixian doubanjiang (chilli bean paste), chopped | 1 tbsp + 2 tsp | 25 g | Pixian brand from an Asian grocery. There is no true Western substitute for this flavour. |
| Stock | ⅔ cup | 150 ml | Original: homemade bone stock. Chicken stock works. |
| Sichuan pepper powder | 1 tsp | 3 g | Original: Hanyuan Sichuan pepper. Grind whole peppercorns just before use if you can. |
| Garlic, minced | 2 cloves | 10 g | — |
| Ginger, minced | 1 tsp | 5 g | — |
| Corn starch + water, for slurry | 1 tbsp starch + 2 tbsp water | 15 g + 30 ml | Mix just before use. |
| Cooking oil | 2 tbsp | 30 ml | Original: rapeseed oil preferred. Any neutral oil works. |
| Salt | ¼ tsp | 2 g | Go easy — bean paste is salty. |
| Light soy sauce | 1 tsp | 5 ml | — |
| Cooking wine and a pinch of salt, to marinate the beef | 1 tsp wine | — | Original specifies wine and salt for marinating but gives no quantities; 1 tsp wine and a pinch of salt is the home adaptation used here. |
| Scallions, sliced, to garnish | To taste | To taste | — |
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok — no wok required (adaptation)
- Pot for blanching
- Small heatproof ladle or spoon for the hot-oil finish
Steps
- Prepare the tofu and beef. Cut the tofu into 2 cm cubes. Blanch in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain gently. Marinate the minced beef with cooking wine and a pinch of salt for 5 minutes.
- Brown the beef and bloom the paste. Heat the oil over medium heat and fry the beef, breaking it up, until fully browned. Add garlic and ginger, then turn to low heat and add the chopped doubanjiang. Fry for about 1 minute until the oil turns red. Do not let the paste scorch.
- Simmer the tofu. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then turn to medium-low heat. Slide in the tofu gently and simmer for 3 minutes so it absorbs flavour, keeping the liquid at a gentle simmer.
- Thicken in two stages. Stir the starch slurry, pour in half, and push the tofu very gently — never stir vigorously or it breaks. Pour in the rest, then turn to high heat and reduce for about 30 seconds until thick and glossy.
- Finish off the heat. Turn off the heat, sprinkle over the Sichuan pepper powder, and drizzle over a spoonful of very hot oil (the original specifies about 180 °C, oil just shimmering). Take care: pour from a low height and keep your hand clear of steam. Garnish with scallions and serve with rice.
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Technique: two-stage thickening
One thickening is rarely thick enough; three tends to clump. Two pours, with a gentle push between them, is the original control point — and pushing, not stirring, is what keeps the cubes intact.
Variations
- Milder: halve the Sichuan pepper powder and use a little less bean paste. The colour will be paler and the tingle softer.
- Pork version: swap beef for minced pork, exactly as the original allows.
- Vegetarian: omit the meat and use vegetable stock. The dish will be lighter; the bean paste and pepper still carry it (adaptation).
Frequently asked questions
Why did my tofu fall apart?
Usually it was not blanched, or it was stirred instead of pushed. Blanch first, then push gently.
Can I use firm tofu?
Yes, and it is more forgiving. It will be less silky than the original tender-tofu version.
Is the hot-oil finish essential?
It blooms the pepper aroma. If you prefer, skip it and simply sprinkle the pepper over — the dish is still good, just less fragrant.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated; reheat gently until steaming hot throughout. The sauce thickens on standing — loosen with a splash of water.
Mapo Tofu — Recipe Card
Silky tofu in a tingly, spicy bean-paste sauce.
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 25 minutesServings: 2 with rice
Ingredients: 300 g soft tofu; 50 g minced beef; 25 g Pixian doubanjiang; 150 ml stock; 3 g Sichuan pepper powder; 10 g garlic; 5 g ginger; 15 g corn starch + 30 ml water; 30 ml oil; 2 g salt; 5 ml soy sauce; scallions to garnish.
Steps: 1) Blanch tofu 2 minutes; marinate beef 5 minutes. 2) Brown beef, bloom garlic, ginger and bean paste on low heat ~1 minute. 3) Add stock, simmer tofu 3 minutes. 4) Thicken in two stages, reduce ~30 seconds. 5) Heat off, add pepper powder and hot oil, garnish.
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Source note: ingredients, quantities and steps are adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report for 麻婆豆腐 (data/reports/2.md). The report's pricing, margin and marketing sections are deliberately omitted here; no B2B cost is presented as a home-cook cost. Original poster image: clouchef.com (麻婆豆腐_2.jpeg). The beef-marinade quantities and the 2-serving presentation are adaptations and are labelled as such.