doubanjiang

You can order mapo tofu from many Chinese restaurants, but it’s also quite doable at home. You can find the pivotal fermented chile and broad (fava) bean sauce or paste called doubanjiang (sometimes rendered as “toban djan”) at a Chinese market. Look for a doubanjiang from Pixian, in Sichuan, and bear in mind that oilier versions have extra heat but may lack an earthy depth. Sichuan peppercorns add mala — tingly zing — and fermented black beans, called douchi, lend this dish a kick of umami. Ground beef is traditional, but many cooks choose pork; you can also try lamb, turkey thigh or a plant-based meat alternatives. Add chile flakes for extra fire, and balance mapo’s intensity with rice and steamed or stir-fried broccoli.

Mapo Tofu

Sichuan peppercorns

canola oil

beef

doubanjiang (fermented chile bean sauce

douchi (fermented black beans, optional)

ginger

red-pepper flakes (optional)

soy sauce

granulated sugar, plus more if needed

salt

scallions,

cornstarch

white rice,

Prepare the tofu: Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and put into a bowl. Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and when the boiling subsides, pour hot water over the tofu to cover. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large (14-inch) wok or (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns for 2 to 3 minutes, until super fragrant and slightly darkened. (A wisp of smoke is normal.) Let cool briefly, then pound with a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a spice grinder.

Set a strainer over a measuring cup, then add the tofu to drain; reserve 1 1/2 cups of the soaking water, discarding the rest. Set the tofu and reserved soaking water near the stove with the peppercorns and other prepped ingredients for swift cooking.

Reheat the wok or skillet over high. When hot — you can flick water in and it should sizzle and evaporate within seconds — swirl in the oil to evenly coat, then add the meat. Stir and mash into cooked and crumbly pieces, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add 2 1/2 tablespoons doubanjiang, the douchi (if using), ginger and red-pepper flakes (if using). Cook about 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until things are vivid reddish brown. Add the soy sauce and sugar, stir to combine, then add the tofu. Gently stir or shake the pan to combine the ingredients without breaking up the tofu much.

Add the reserved 1 1/2 cups soaking water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook for about 3 minutes, agitating the pan occasionally, to let the tofu absorb the flavors of the sauce.

Slightly lower the heat and taste the sauce. If needed, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of doubanjiang for heat, a pinch of salt for savoriness, or a sprinkle of sugar to tame heat.

Add the scallions and stir to combine. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, then stir in enough to the mapo tofu to thicken to a soupy rather than a gravy-like finish. Sprinkle in the ground peppercorns, give the mixture one last stir to incorporate, then transfer to a shallow bowl. Serve immediately with lots of hot rice.

This twist on nachos doesn’t simply call for putting traditional <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021459-mapo-tofu">mapo tofu</a> atop tortilla chips. Instead, you’ll make a creamy, spicy, saucy version using blended silken tofu and all the usual mapo ingredients. Spoon the sauce atop layers of chips, add cheese, then bake it. You could certainly stop there, but finishing with some garnishes makes it especially festive. Save leftover sauce for another round of nachos or a half batch of <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021487-mapo-spaghetti">mapo spaghetti</a>. To double this recipe, bake on a large parchment or foil-lined sheet pan in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes. You can also make the sauce with lamb, turkey thigh or a plant-based meat alternative, in place of the ground beef or pork, if you like.

Mapo Tofu Nachos

(14- silken tofu

neutral oil, oil

granulated sugar, plus more as needed

scallion,

corn tortilla chips (about 5 cups)

pickled jalapeños, sliced (optional)

cilantro (optional)

Prepare the mapo tofu sauce: If the tofu came as a block in water, discard the water. Cut the tofu into large chunks, then use a stand blender or immersion blender to whirl the tofu into an ivory smoothie.

In a medium (3- or 4-quart) pot over medium heat, toast the Sichuan peppercorns for 2 to 3 minutes, until super fragrant and slightly darkened. (A wisp of smoke is OK.) Let cool briefly, then pound with a mortar and pestle or pulse in a spice grinder.

Prepare the remaining sauce ingredients and set them near the stove.

Warm the oil in the pot over high heat. When shimmering, add the meat. Stir and mash into cooked and crumbly pieces, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons doubanjiang, the douchi (if using), ginger and red-pepper flakes (if using). Fry about 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until the mixture is a rich reddish brown.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, then stir in the soy sauce and 1 rounded teaspoon sugar. Scrape in the blended tofu. (If there’s much left in the blender jar, add 1 tablespoon water and whirl to loosen it.) Stir to combine well, partially cover and bring to simmer. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to develop flavor throughout. Expect orange oil to appear on top.

Taste the sauce and if needed, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon doubanjiang (for heat), or a pinch of salt (for savoriness) or sugar (to tame heat).

Stir in the scallion, then add the cornstarch slurry and stir until thickened. Turn off the heat. Stir in half the crushed Sichuan peppercorns for a bit of zing. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to deepen flavor and color before using; a little lingering orange oil is normal. This recipe makes about 2 1/2 cups, which is twice the amount that you’ll need for this recipe; save the rest for spaghetti, more nachos or another use. (You can cool the sauce completely then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.)

Prepare the nachos: Heat a toaster oven (or standard oven) to 350 degrees. Line the baking pan of the toaster oven (or a small sheet pan) with parchment or aluminum foil, leaving a little overhang on two sides so you may later easily transfer the nachos. Arrange half of the chips on the pan, laying them flat; some overlap is fine. Use a spoon to strew a heaping 1/2 cup mapo tofu sauce onto the chips. Sprinkle with half the scallions, half the cheese and half the remaining Sichuan peppercorns. Repeat with the remaining chips, a heaping 1/2 cup mapo tofu sauce, the remaining scallions, cheese and peppercorns.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese completely melts and there is gentle sizzling. Remove from the oven, then lift the parchment paper or foil to remove the nachos from the pan, then use a spatula to carefully usher the nachos to a platter. Top with any combination of olives, pickled jalapeños and cilantro, if desired.

Conventional <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021459-mapo-tofu">mapo tofu</a> calls for cubed tofu, but, if you blend silken tofu for a twist on the Sichuan favorite, you’ll yield a creamy pasta sauce with deep numbing, spicy mala flavor. For velvety results, select silken tofu that’s molded into its refrigerated tub. Shop at a Chinese market for the doubanjiang (fermented chile bean sauce or paste). Look for the kind that is jarred and labeled as toban djan or packaged as plastic-sealed paper cubes, and originating from Pixian. Also grab some Sichuan peppercorns, and for extra umami oomph, some douchi (fermented black beans), too. If beef or pork isn’t your thing, try ground turkey, lamb or a plant-based meat alternative. Chefs (Mei Lin of Nightshade in Los Angeles, and Yu Bo of Yu’s Family Kitchen in Chengdu) and home cooks (the family of Zhong Yi, a former graduate student at Sichuan University) alike have tinkered with mapo tofu, pushing its definition and inspiring this cross-cultural iteration.

Mapo Tofu Spaghetti

fine sea salt

spaghetti

Parmesan

Reduce the heat to medium-low, then stir in the soy sauce and sugar. Scrape in the blended tofu. (If there’s much left in the blender jar, add 1 tablespoon water and whirl to loosen it.) Stir to combine well, partly cover and bring to simmer. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to develop flavor throughout. Expect orange oil to appear on top.

Stir in the scallions, then add the cornstarch slurry and stir until thickened. Turn off the heat. Stir in half the crushed Sichuan peppercorns to seed a bit of zing. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to deepen flavor and color before using; a little lingering orange oiliness is normal. Makes about 2 1/2 cups. (You can also cool completely then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.)

Prepare the spaghetti: Fill a large pot about halfway with water and add no more than 1 tablespoon of salt to lightly season. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the spaghetti and boil until al dente according to package instructions. Ladle out about 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti. Briefly rinse to remove some of the starch and shake to expel excess water.

In the same pot (or a clean large skillet, if you wish), warm the tofu sauce and 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water over medium heat. When hot and bubbling, add the spaghetti to the sauce. Use tongs to stir and coat the strands. Stir in extra pasta water by the tablespoon for a creamier, silkier finish, if desired.

When satisfied, stir in the scallion and cook very briefly until just softened. Divide the pasta among plates or shallow bowls and serve topped with the cheese and the remaining ground peppercorns.

Doubanjiang is a Chinese bean paste with savory and sometimes spicy accents that makes many popular Chinese stir-fry dishes. Learn how to make doubanjiang substitute with 2 simple ingredients.

Doubanjiang and its Substitute

Chinese bean paste

red chili flakes

In a small bowl, add dried chili flakes to the Chinese bean paste.

Test and taste, adding more chili flakes gradually until you reach the desired spiciness.

Stir to mix.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

This beef stir fry recipe is quick and easy to make with juicy strips of beef stir fried with peppers and broccoli and a spicy stir fry sauce that is loaded with flavor. One of our favorites.

Beef Stir Fry Recipe

paprika

sesame oil

rice wine vinegar

brown sugar (or use honey)

garlic

chicken broth

red pepper flakes

corn starch

Salt and pepper

broccoli (chopped)

large bell pepper (chopped)

jalapeno pepper (chopped (or use your favorite spicy chili pepper))

For Serving: Chopped green onion, spicy red pepper flakes

Whisk

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.

MAKE THE STIR FRY SAUCE

Heat the oil in a large pan or wok to high heat.

Beef

Toss the beef with the corn starch, salt and pepper to coat. Add the beef to the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes or to your preference, stirring often. Remove the beef and set aside.

Broccoli and Peppers

Add the broccoli and chopped peppers to the hot pan. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.

Sauce

Add the stir fry sauce and stir. Bring to a quick boil, then simmer for 3 minutes, stirring a bit, or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking. The stir fry sauce will thicken in the pan and coat the beef and vegetables.

Warm

Stir the beef back into the pan with the vegetables and warm through.

Garnish and serve

Garnish and serve. I like my beef stir fry with either steamed white rice or stir fry noodles.

MAKE THE BEEF STIR FRY

Let’s be clear: Nothing surpasses the hearty deliciousness of a traditional <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021459-mapo-tofu">mapo tofu</a>. But for those days when you find yourself without soft tofu in the fridge, or when you are craving something vegetarian, this mapo potato will hit the mark. Potatoes step in for tofu and pork, providing a perfect vessel that eagerly soaks up all of the deep fermented flavors. (If you want a hit of protein, you can add some soft tofu just before you add the cornstarch slurry in Step 3.) Doubanjiang, a fermented bean paste that is a staple in Chinese cuisine, provides mapo dishes with its signature spicy umami richness; each brand will vary in heat so adjust according to your personal preference. If you don’t have doubanjiang, you could substitute with fermented black soybeans, which are less spicy but will give you similar salty funkiness.

Mapo Potato

Neutral oil,

Sichuan peppercorns (from 1 teaspoon whole)

carrots,

red chiles

garlic cloves,

potatoes

sugar

vegetable stock

cornstarch,

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

Chile oil or chile crisp,

White rice,

Heat a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium-high. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil along with the doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns, carrots and dried chile. Stir for 2 minutes, until fragrant and carrots have softened slightly.

Add the ginger, garlic and potatoes and sugar and stir well. Add the stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the cornstarch slurry and stir carefully, doing your best not to break up the potatoes. (It’s OK if some of them break.) Remove from the heat.

Taste and season with salt, if needed. Finish with sesame oil and scallions and, if you want more heat, drizzle with chile oil. Serve with rice.

This warm soupy ramen is perfect if you don’t have time to prepare an elaborate meal. The soy sauce marinade with manuka honey is as easy as it gets, and gives the tofu a subtle sweet umami flavour when pan-fried.

Miso ramen with pan-fried marinated tofu

Tonzu organic tofu

tsp Kai Ora manuka honey

Tbsp oil

ramen

bok choy, washed

water (for broth)

tsp miso paste

tsp non-spicy doubanjiang (Taiwanese bean paste)

Sesame oil,

Turn block of tofu on its side and slice in half. Lay tofu flat on chopping board and cut into smaller blocks for frying.

In a small bowl, mix soy sauce and honey together until combined. Place tofu slices onto a rimmed plate and pour soy sauce mixture over the top, coating tofu on all sides to marinate for at least half an hour.

Cook noodles according to the instructions on packet. Drain and rinse to cool.

Heat oil on medium heat in frying pan. Fry tofu on all sides until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Heat water in a small pot and blanch vegetables. Set aside.

In the same pot, mix miso and doubanjiang into the boiling water. Add cooked noodles and bring to the boil, allowing broth to infuse into the noodles.

Place noodles in a bowl and pour hot broth over the top. Place tofu and vegetables on top. Garnish with sesame oil and Japanese shichimi powder, if desired.

Top 7 doubanjiang recipes from across the web

The most viewed doubanjiang recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Mapo Tofu

Mapo Tofu Nachos

Mapo Tofu Spaghetti

Doubanjiang and its Substitute

Beef Stir Fry Recipe

Mapo Potato

Miso ramen with pan-fried marinated...

Top 7 doubanjiang recipes from across the web

The most viewed doubanjiang recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Mapo Tofu

Mapo Tofu Nachos

Mapo Tofu Spaghetti

Doubanjiang and its Substitute

Beef Stir Fry Recipe

Mapo Potato

Miso ramen with pan-fried marinated...

The most viewed doubanjiang recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine