Name: Mapo Tofu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 0.5 cup dried shiitake mushrooms; 1 cup warm water; 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp honey; 0.25 tsp kosher salt; 1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil; 1.5 tablespoons black bean sauce; 1 lb medium or firm tofu; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tsp ginger; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 3 scallions

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Mapo Tofu

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Ingredients

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Instructions

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Instructions

Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl, cover with the 1 cup warm water, and soak for 15-20 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft. Drain the mushrooms, squeeze out excess water, and reserve the liquid. Discard any tough mushroom stems and finely chop the caps.

In a small bowl, stir together the mushroom soaking liquid, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to coat the bottom of the wok. Add the mushrooms and black bean sauce to the wok and stir fry until the mushrooms are crisp.

Reduce the heat to medium, add garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1 minute. Pour the sauce into the wok, and reduce to simmer.

Gently add the cubed tofu to the wok and simmer for 3 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb some of the sauce.

Create a well in the center, stir together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the sauce and cook for 1 minute, until thick. Top with the scallions and serve.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Press Your Tofu Properly 🧊
Wrap tofu blocks in paper towels and weight them down for 15-20 minutes before cubing to remove excess moisture, allowing better sauce absorption and preventing a watery dish.
Bloom Your Dried Shiitakes 🍄
Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 10 minutes, then strain and reserve the liquid to add umami depth to your sauce while using the rehydrated mushrooms for texture.
Make a Flavor Paste First 🧄
Combine minced ginger, garlic, and black bean sauce into a paste and bloom it in hot oil for 30 seconds before adding other sauce ingredients to intensify their aromatic flavors exponentially.
Cornstarch Slurry Timing ⏱️
Mix cornstarch with cold water separately and add it at the very end of cooking while stirring constantly to achieve a glossy, perfectly thickened sauce without overcooking the delicate tofu.
Finish with Sesame Oil Last 🌰
Drizzle sesame oil and fresh scallions into the dish after removing from heat to preserve their nutty aroma and bright flavor rather than letting them dissipate during cooking.