Mapo tofu originated in Chengdu, a city in Sichuan, China, and quickly became a classic. It’s a tofu dish accented with fiery flavors, and usually a good portion of ground meat. Using a plant-based meat substitute makes mapo tofu accessible to vegetarians.
The focus is, as it should be, the brightly seasoned tofu. Find frozen vegetarian ground pork in natural food stores, Asian markets and some super-markets. As an alternative, use any other soy-meat or non-meat beef, such as Beyond Burger.
Vegetarian Mapo Tofu
Ingredients:
• 1 (14-16-ounce) carton soft tofu
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Pinch minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon spicy doubanjiang (fermented spicy bean paste, sometimes spelled toban jiang, found in Asian aisles of supermarkets)
• 2 tablespoons vegetarian ground pork
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce
• 1 cup vegetarian broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons potato flour dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon chile pepper oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Directions:
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Dice tofu and blanch in water; drain and set aside.
Heat oil in the pot and stir-fry ginger until fragrant. Stir in doubanjian. Add vegetarian pork, soy sauce and stir-fry sauce. Stir evenly.
Add broth and diced tofu. Bring to boil, then simmer on low 2 minutes, to let tofu absorb the flavor of the sauce. Stir in potato flour slurry and let thicken.
Drizzle with chile pepper and sesame oils before serving.
Serves 4.
Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (based on 16 oz soft tofu and not including salt for salted water): 140 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 800 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 10 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.
