Vegan Mapo Tofu with Shiitake Mushrooms

Name: Vegan Mapo Tofu with Shiitake Mushrooms
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sichuan
Ingredients: 28 oz (two 14-oz blocks) (800 g) silken or soft tofu, drained, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 4 cups (950 ml) just-boiled water, for soaking the tofu; 1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt, for the soaking water; 2 tsp (4 g) whole Sichuan peppercorns, any stems and black seeds picked out; 8 oz (225 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps finely chopped into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as peanut or avocado; 3 tbsp (50 g) Sichuan doubanjiang (fermented broad bean chili paste), roughly chopped if it has large pieces of bean; 1 tbsp (10 g) fermented black beans (douchi), rinsed briefly and roughly chopped; 4 cloves (15 g) garlic, finely minced; 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced; 2 tsp (4 g) Sichuan or Korean coarse chili flakes; 1 cup (240 ml) unsalted mushroom or vegetable broth; 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce (or regular soy sauce); 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch; 3 tbsp (45 ml) cold water, for the slurry; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white parts and green parts kept separate; 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Silky tofu in a glossy, fiery sauce of doubanjiang, fermented black beans and freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns. Browned, finely chopped shiitakes replace the traditional pork and add deep, savory flavor.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 5 cups), to serve with steamed rice

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Ingredients

4 servings

28 oz (two 14-oz blocks) (800 g) silken or soft tofu, drained, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
4 cups (950 ml) just-boiled water, for soaking the tofu
1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt, for the soaking water
2 tsp (4 g) whole Sichuan peppercorns, any stems and black seeds picked out
8 oz (225 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps finely chopped into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as peanut or avocado
3 tbsp (50 g) Sichuan doubanjiang (fermented broad bean chili paste), roughly chopped if it has large pieces of bean
1 tbsp (10 g) fermented black beans (douchi), rinsed briefly and roughly chopped
4 cloves (15 g) garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 tsp (4 g) Sichuan or Korean coarse chili flakes
1 cup (240 ml) unsalted mushroom or vegetable broth
1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
3 tbsp (45 ml) cold water, for the slurry
4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white parts and green parts kept separate
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil

Equipment (6)

12-inch (30 cm) wok or large deep skillet
Small dry skillet for toasting peppercorns
Spice grinder or mortar and pestle
Medium saucepan or bowl for soaking the tofu (2 quart / 2 L or larger)
Wide spatula or wok spatula
Small bowl for the cornstarch slurry

Steps

Before you start

Check that your doubanjiang is vegan. Most are, but read the label. Brands differ a lot in saltiness, so taste before adding extra soy sauce.
Chop everything before you turn on the stove. The stir-frying steps move quickly.
Start cooking rice now if you're serving it. The dish is best eaten as soon as it's done.
Sichuan peppercorns numb the lips (this is called ma). Start with the amount given, and add more at the end if you like a stronger tingle.

1
Soak the tofu
- Pour the just-boiled water into a medium saucepan or bowl and stir in the salt until dissolved.
- Gently slide in the tofu cubes and let them sit for 10 minutes.
- This seasons the tofu and firms its surface so it stays intact during stir-frying.
- Keep the tofu in the water until step 7.
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Ready when: Tofu cubes are warmed through and feel slightly firmer when nudged
Tip: Handle silken tofu gently. Slide it into the water with a spatula rather than dropping it.
2
Toast and grind peppercorns
- While the tofu soaks, toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pan often.
- Tip them onto a plate to cool for 1 minute, then grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or mortar.
- You should have about 1 teaspoon.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Peppercorns smell citrusy and floral and are a shade darker. Take them off the heat before they smoke.
Tip: Burnt peppercorns turn bitter, so pull them off the heat as soon as they smell fragrant.
3
Prep the slurry and aromatics
- Stir the cornstarch into the cold water in a small bowl until no lumps remain.
- Set the garlic, ginger, chili flakes, scallion whites, doubanjiang and black beans next to the stove in separate piles so you can add them quickly.
4
Brown the mushrooms
- Heat the wok over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Add the oil and swirl to coat.
- Add the chopped shiitakes in an even layer.
- Let them sit for 1 minute, then stir and cook for 5 to 6 minutes total, until the liquid has evaporated and the pieces are deeply browned with crisp edges and slightly shrunken.
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Ready when: No liquid is left in the pan, and the mushrooms are browned and sizzling with crisp edges
Tip: Don't stir constantly. Browning is where the savory, meaty flavor comes from.
5
Fry the pastes
- Push the mushrooms to one side of the wok and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the doubanjiang and fermented black beans to the cleared space.
- Fry, pressing and stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the oil turns red and the paste smells rich and toasty.
- Then stir it into the mushrooms.
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Ready when: Oil turns deep red and the paste smells fragrant and toasty, not scorched
Tip: Lower the heat if the paste sticks or darkens quickly. Scorched bean paste tastes bitter.
6
Add aromatics
- Add the garlic, ginger, chili flakes and scallion whites.
- Stir constantly for 30 to 45 seconds, until the garlic and ginger smell fragrant and the chili flakes have darkened slightly in the red oil.
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Ready when: Garlic and ginger are fragrant but not browned
7
Simmer the sauce and tofu
- Pour in the broth, add the soy sauce and sugar, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits.
- Use a slotted spoon to lift the tofu out of the soaking water, letting it drain for a moment, and slide it into the wok.
- Gently nudge the tofu with the back of a spatula to coat it in sauce.
- Simmer gently for 4 minutes, until the tofu is heated through and has absorbed some of the sauce.
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Ready when: Sauce is at a gentle simmer with small bubbles and the tofu is hot in the center
Tip: Push the tofu with the back of the spatula instead of stirring, so the cubes don't break.
8
Thicken the sauce
- Re-stir the slurry, since the cornstarch settles quickly.
- Drizzle in half of it while gently pushing the tofu, then wait 20 seconds.
- Add more of the slurry if you want a thicker sauce.
- Simmer for 1 minute, until the sauce turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy and clings to the tofu and a spoon, with no cloudy or starchy look
Tip: Add the slurry gradually. You can always thicken more but can't thin it without diluting the flavor.
9
Finish and serve
- Turn off the heat.
- Drizzle in the sesame oil, sprinkle on half the ground Sichuan pepper and most of the scallion greens, and fold in gently with 2 or 3 pushes of the spatula.
- Spoon into a warm serving bowl and top with the remaining ground pepper and scallion greens.
- Serve right away over steamed rice.
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Ready when: Dish smells strongly of toasted pepper and sesame, and the sauce still looks glossy and red
Tip: Add the ground peppercorns at the end. Their numbing aroma fades with long cooking.

Good to know

Tips

Use the back of a spatula to push the tofu through the sauce instead of stirring. Silken tofu breaks easily.
Doubanjiang brands vary in heat and saltiness. Taste the sauce after thickening and add a little soy sauce or sugar to balance it.
Fry the doubanjiang in oil before adding liquid. This step gives the red oil and the deep flavor.
Freshly ground toasted peppercorns have far more numbing aroma than pre-ground ones. Grind them right before serving.

Make ahead

You can toast and grind the peppercorns up to 1 week ahead and keep them in a sealed jar. You can chop the mushrooms, garlic, ginger and scallions and mix the slurry up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate them in separate containers. Brown the mushrooms and fry the pastes (steps 4 to 6) up to 2 days ahead. Reheat that base with the broth before you add the tofu.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Refrigerator: airtight container, up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended, since silken tofu turns spongy and watery when thawed. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, or in the microwave at 50% power in 1-minute bursts. Add a splash of broth or water if the sauce has thickened.

Substitutions

fresh shiitake mushrooms → cremini mushrooms, or 1 oz (30 g) dried shiitake rehydrated and chopped. Cremini are milder. If you use dried shiitake, use the strained soaking liquid as part of the broth for extra flavor.
silken or soft tofu → soft or medium-firm tofu. Medium-firm tofu holds together better but is less silky. The same 10-minute salt soak works.
fermented black beans (douchi) → 1 extra teaspoon soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon miso. This gives a similar salty, fermented depth, though the flavor is less pungent.
Sichuan or Korean coarse chili flakes → 1 tsp mild paprika plus ½ tsp cayenne. Use this for a milder dish with similar color. For more heat, add extra chili flakes.