Mapo tofu is a traditional Sichuan dish known for its spicy and fragrant aroma. If you want to make a delicious mapo tofu, you first need to choose the right tofu. Next, this article will introduce how to make mapo tofu and which type of tofu is suitable for making mapo tofu.
1. How to make mapo tofu.
1.Ingredients: tofu, minced beef, bean paste, minced ginger and garlic, Sichuan pepper, salt, chicken essence, chopped green onion, etc.
2.Cut the tofu into small pieces, blanch to remove astringency, remove and drain for later use.
3.Heat the pan with cold oil, add Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry, add minced beef and stir-fry.
4.Add bean paste, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, then add an appropriate amount of water and bring to a boil.
5.Add the tofu cubes to the pot and gently simmer to allow the tofu to absorb the soup.
6.Add salt and chicken essence to taste, cook until the tofu is flavorful, sprinkle with chopped green onion and remove from the pan.
2. Tofu suitable for making mapo tofu.
1.Brine tofu: Brine tofu is northern tofu, which has less water content and older texture, and is suitable for making mapo tofu. Because the brine tofu is not crumbly, it can maintain its intact shape, absorb the soup better, and have a more layered taste.
2.Lactone tofu: Lactone tofu is tender tofu, which has a delicate and smooth taste, but it is not suitable for making mapo tofu. Because lactone tofu is soft, it crumbles easily, it does not retain its full shape, and it tends to fall apart when cooked.
3.Gypsum tofu: Gypsum tofu is a variety between brine tofu and lactone tofu, the texture is softer than brine tofu and harder than lactone tofu, and it can also be used to make mapo tofu. But in comparison, brine tofu is better.
In short, if you want to make a delicious mapo tofu, you need to master the correct preparation method and choose the right tofu variety. Brine tofu is best used to make mapo tofu because it retains its full shape, absorbs the soup better, and has a more layered taste.