A spicy tofu and meat dish originating from the Szechuan province of China. After having a wonderful version of it in Beijing I came up with this version of it to fill my craving. Serve over short grain rice.
Preparation Time
20 mins
Cooking Time
13 mins
Total Time
33 mins
Calories
251 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
Step 2
Spread Szechuan peppercorns over a baking sheet.
Step 3
Bake peppercorns under the preheated broiler until toasted, about 1 minute. Let cool; transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush into medium grinds.
Step 4
Heat a wok or saucepan over high heat. Add oil; cook ground pork until mostly browned and crumbly, about 1 minute. Move pork to 1 side of the pan with a spatula. Reduce heat to medium. Add chili bean paste; cook and stir until oil turns red, about 30 seconds. Stir pork into oil.
Step 5
Mix black bean sauce and dried chiles into the pork mixture; cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in chicken stock. Add tofu gently; shake pan back and forth until tofu is coated in sauce but not broken, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and sugar. Reduce heat to low; let simmer, about 5 minutes.
Step 6
Mix cornstarch in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons cold water. Increase heat to medium. Add to the tofu mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time, until sauce is almost as thick as ketchup and clings to the tofu, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in the green onions. Sprinkle toasted peppercorns on top.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ pound ground pork
2 pinches white sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns, or to taste
3 tablespoons chili bean sauce
4 teaspoons Chinese black bean and garlic sauce
1 tablespoon sliced dried Szechuan red chiles, or to taste
1 (14 ounce) container firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
