Sichuan Mapo Tofu with Steamed Jasmine Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cupjasmine rice
• 400 gsilken tofu
• 150 gshiitake mushrooms
• 200 ggai lan (Chinese broccoli)
• 2 tbspdoubanjiang (spicy fermented bean paste)
• 1 tbspchilli oil
• 1 tspSichuan peppercorns
• 4 piecedried red chillies
• 4 piecegarlic cloves
• 1 inchginger
• 3 piecespring onions
• 200 mlvegetable stock
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tspdark soy sauce
• 1 tbspcornstarch
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 2 tbspneutral cooking oil
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tbspoyster sauce

Method

1. 1

   Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until it runs clear, then cook it in a pot with 1.5 cups of water — bring to a boil, reduce to the lowest heat, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let it steam, lid on, while you cook everything else.

2. 2

   Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil for the gai lan. Meanwhile, drain the silken tofu and cut it into 2.5 cm cubes — handle gently as it breaks easily. Set aside.

3. 3

   Finely mince the garlic and ginger. Thinly slice the white parts of the spring onions and set the green tops aside for garnish. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and finely chop the caps into a rough mince.

4. 4

   In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp of cold water to make a slurry. Set aside.

5. 5

   Heat the neutral oil in a wok or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the dried red chillies and Sichuan peppercorns and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant and just starting to darken — this blooms the numbing heat into the oil.

6. 6

   Add the minced garlic, ginger, and white spring onion to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the doubanjiang and stir-fry for another 1–2 minutes, letting it cook in the oil until it turns a deep, fragrant red.

7. 7

   Add the minced mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes until they release their moisture and begin to brown. Pour in the vegetable stock, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce, and bring to a gentle simmer.

8. 8

   Carefully slide the tofu cubes into the sauce. Spoon the sauce gently over the tofu rather than stirring — this keeps the cubes intact. Simmer for 3 minutes.

9. 9

   Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir and pour it into the wok, gently swirling the pan to distribute it. The sauce will thicken in about 1 minute. Drizzle in the chilli oil and sesame oil, then remove from heat.

10. 10

    While the tofu finishes, blanch the gai lan in the boiling salted water for 2 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain and toss with oyster sauce.

11. 11

    Serve the mapo tofu over steamed jasmine rice with the gai lan on the side. Scatter the sliced green spring onion tops over the tofu to finish.