Mapo tofu, your heat level

Your ingredients

Get ready: Saucepan, colander, large deep frying pan, small bowl and food thermometer.

• 🧊600 g soft or medium-firm block tofu, cubedUK note: Medium-firm supermarket tofu holds up well; extra-firm tofu gives a chewier result.
• 🧂1 tsp salt for blanching
• 🫙2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 🥩100 g minced beef or porkUK note: For a meat-free variation, finely chopped mushrooms work, with a different flavour and texture.
• 🧄1 tsp finely chopped ginger and 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 🌶️1–2 tbsp Sichuan chilli-bean paste (doubanjiang)UK note: Begin with 1 tbsp and check the label: brands vary considerably.
• 🥄1 tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and choppedUK note: Optional if unavailable; the sauce will be less deeply savoury.
• 🌶️Chilli flakes, to taste, optionalUK note: A small pinch is plenty to begin with.
• 💧400 ml unsalted stock or water, plus 1 tbsp waterUK note: The extra tablespoon replaces cooking wine. Use vegetable stock for a mushroom version.
• 🥄2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp cold waterUK note: You may not need every drop: add until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
• 🥄½ tsp ground Sichuan pepper, or less to tasteUK note: Optional; black pepper does not give the same numbing aroma.
• 🌱1 spring onion, finely sliced

Let’s make it

1. Give the tofu a head start

   Put tofu and salt in a saucepan of water. Bring gently to the boil, simmer for 1 minute and drain carefully.

2. Build the base

   Heat the oil in the deep pan. Fry the mince with ginger until broken up and cooked through. Check meat reaches 75°C for 30 seconds. Add garlic, doubanjiang, optional beans and chilli; stir briefly until fragrant.

3. Let the sauce do the work

   Add the stock and tablespoon of water. Bring to a simmer, slide in the tofu and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Nudge the pan rather than stirring hard.

4. Find your gloss

   Stir the cornflour mixture. Add half, simmer and check the thickness; add more only as needed. Finish with Sichuan pepper and spring onion. Keeping the cubes intact is a skill, and you are practising it right now.