This special combination of humble tofu with modern plant-based mince, spicy chilli and numbing citrusy Sichuan peppercorns is sure to excite your taste buds.
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Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Cal/Serv:
400
Ingredients
FOR THE SMACKED CUCUMBER SALAD
1 large cucumber salad
1 tsp. caster sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar, see GH tip
1 tsp. chilli oil, we used Lee Kum Kee's Chiu Chow Chilli Oil
FOR THE MAPO TOFU
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
400 g plant-based mince, we used Meatless Farm
5 cm piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
3 Tbsp. chilli bean sauce, we used Lee Kum Kee's Chilli Bean Sauce (Troban Djan)
1 Tbsp. Sichuan peppercorns
3 spring onions, sliced
400 ml vegan vegetable stock
300 g firm tofu, cut into 2.5cm cubes, we used Dragonfly
2 tsp. chilli oil
2 tsp. caster sugar
1 Tbsp. cornflour, mixed with 1tbsp water
Directions
Step 1To make the salad, place cucumber on a chopping board and smack with the flat side of a large knife or a rolling pin until it splits, then cut into rough 2.5cm pieces. Put in a bowl, sprinkle over 1tsp salt and mix well. Set aside for 10min, then drain off any excess liquid and stir through remaining ingredients. Set aside.
Step 2For the mapo tofu, heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add mince and stir-fry for 2-3min until browned. Add the ginger, rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, chilli bean sauce and peppercorns; fry for 3-4min until mince is cooked through.
Step 3Add most of the spring onions, reserving some for garnish, and the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the tofu, chilli oil, caster sugar and cornflour mixture. Gently stir through, then bubble over low heat for 2min, until sauce has thickened slightly.
Step 4Serve the mapo tofu sprinkled with the remaining spring onions, with the smacked cucumber salad and cooked brown rice on the side.
GH TIP Chinese black rice vinegar is traditionally used, but a cheap balsamic makes such an excellent substitute there’s no need to buy a new bottle just for this!
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
