This version of Mapo Tofu is both nourishing and perfect with rice, and even beginner cooks can easily master it.

In China, Mapo Tofu always ranks among the top beloved home-style dishes served with rice. Actually there’s no single “standard” recipe for Mapo tofu.

For us, in our home cooking, health is as important as taste. So we’ve tried a version of Mapo Tofu believed to be more healthy than those common recipes.

🥢 Basic Ingredients

1，one block of tofu (either firm or soft works). Cut into 2 cm cubes and blanch briefly in salted water. This helps the tofu hold its shape and absorb more flavor later.

2，Dried chili peppers, cut into small pieces

3，½ tablespoon Sichuan chili bean paste (Doubanjiang)

4，Sichuan peppercorn oil or green pepper oil

5，4–5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6，A few scallions, chopped

7，½ bowl water (about half of a regular rice bowl)

Optional：A small handful of traditional Chinese ham, diced—adds a deeper, smoky flavor

Most importantly: a bowl of tremella soup

🥢 Simple Steps

1. With everything ready, heat a wok over medium heat. Drizzle in a little oil. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant.
2. Add the diced ham and stir quickly.
3. Add the chili bean paste. Stir and mix well with the other ingredients in wok.
4. Reduce to low heat. Add the dried chili peppers and pour in half a bowl of water along the edges of the wok. Let it simmer slowly.
5. Once you see the sauce thicken, stir in a spoonful of tremella soup. Instead of starch, we use tremella broth to thicken—it locks in flavor while adding extra nutrition.
6. Gently put in the blanched tofu cubes. Stir lightly so the tofu gradually absorbs the sauce and gets fully coated.
7. Drizzle in some Sichuan peppercorn oil (or green pepper oil).
8. As soon as the spicy aroma rises, sprinkle in the scallions. Simmering a few seconds, turn off the heat and plate.

Making Mapo Tofu a nutrition soup, only needs one more step — the tremella soup!

We highly recommend keeping it on hand or kept in your refrigerator. It’s not only excellent for cooking as a natural thickener, but also wonderful as a nourishing daily drink:

• Its polysaccharides create a lovely consistency without destroying the original umami, and unlike starch, it won’t affect the soup’s clearness whether hot or cold.
• More importantly, tremella polysaccharides are a soluble dietary fiber that helps stabilize blood sugar, while starch is something we limit in our diet.