Mapo Tofu (Without Cornstarch)
Equipment
- 1 small cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 10" saute pan
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 8 ounces extra lean ground pork
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp chili bean paste
- 1 ½ tsp garlic minced (about 3 to 4 cloves)
- 1 14-ounce package firm tofu strained, cut into cubes
- green onions chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the pan to medium high heat. Add the extra firm ground pork and water and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, breaking up the ground pork into small chunks while it cooks.
- Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili bean paste, and garlic. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tofu and stir until well combined and the tofu is lightly coated by the sauce.
- Serve on steamed rice. Top with chopped green onions (optional).
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Substitute for extra lean ground pork?
Of course you can use ground pork in this recipe. It will be extra tasty with all the natural pork fat.
Ground turkey will be a good lean substitution for extra lean ground pork. I haven’t tried it yet myself, but I would omit the 3 tablespoons of water when cooking the ground turkey since it leeches more liquid than the other ground meats when it cooks.
Do I have to use firm tofu?
No, you can use any tofu firmness that you prefer. Soft and medium firm tofu will break apart while stirring so you will end up with smaller pieces of tofu. Just be aware that the dish might be a little more watery with soft tofu since you are not using cornstarch.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, you can easily double the ingredients if you’re feeding more people or you want leftovers for lunches later in the week.