Taiwanese Mapo Tofu
It's not spicy! The taste of Taiwanese mothers who brought out the taste and sweetness of pork with less pepper
Description
Unlike the super-spicy numbing Sichuan style, this is a gentle Mapo Tofu emphasizing pork umami and sweet thick soy sauce, mild enough for children to eat.
Restaurants serving Taiwanese Mapo Tofu
Researching
We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Firm tofu
- Minced pork
- Thick soy sauce
- Doubanjiang
- Sesame oil
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Cut firm tofu (Taiwan uses a slightly firmer 'Ban Doufu') into
- 5cm cubes, blanch briefly in boiling water to prevent crumbling, and drain.
- Heat oil in a wok, stir-fry minced pork (Taiwanese style avoids beef) until crispy to render fat.
- Add minced garlic, ginger, and a little doubanjiang for aroma (omit or strictly minimize Sichuan peppercorns).
- Add water (or pork bone broth), Jiangyou Gao (sweet thick soy sauce), sugar, and wine. Bring to a boil, add tofu, and simmer on low for
- mins to let it absorb the sweet pork umami.
- Add chopped scallions, thicken heavily with potato starch slurry, and drizzle with sesame oil to finish.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Garlic and Sesame oil
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Japanese silken tofu, Oyster sauce
Pairing
Warm White Rice
Trivia
[For Everyone] A comforting, sweeter seasoning close to the Japanese image of mild Mapo Tofu. Always found in Taiwanese buffet eateries, a staple side dish gentle on the stomach.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Break the tofu with a spoon, pour it along with the sweet, savory thick sauce directly over white rice, and shovel it in as a rice bowl in Taiwanese daily life!
Allergen
Soy, Pork, Wheat, Sesame