Main, Serves 4
20 minutes prep, 30 minutes cook time
This is a twist on Chinese Mapo Tofu! It’s using the sauce-like nature of Mapo Tofu, with added ground beef and served over Italian pasta. Perfect Chinese-Italian fusion.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Madame Susan Chili Crisp solids + 2 tsp Madame Susan Chili Crisp oil
- 1 tbsp Pixian Doubanjang Note: for authenticity, use the Pixian brand of Doubanjang (also can be spelled Toban Jang). That brand is made in Pixian, China and was the original Doubanjang (available on Amazon and Mala Market). If using other brands, check for saltiness and heat, which will affect how much soy sauce and Chili Crisp you use.
- 2 tbsp fermented black soybeans, douchi (available on Amazon and Mala Market)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
- 3 tbsp neutral cooking oil (avocado, canola, vegetable oils are good; caiziyou - Sichuan Roasted Rapeseed oil if available)
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Chinese Black Vinegar (Gold Plum is preferred brand) or rice wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup water (hot or warm)
- ¼ cup cold water for corn starch slurry
- 1.5 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp minced ginger
- ½ cup white parts of scallion - diced
- ½ cup green scallion - diced
- 1 pack soft tofu
- 1 lb hearty pasta, dried or fresh depending on personal preference. A thicker pasta like rigatoni or tagliatelle will add a nice texture to pair with the hearty meat and tofu sauce
- extra chili crisp to taste (optional)
Directions
- Heat wok or pan to medium-high heat
- Add 3 tbsp neutral cooking oil, 1 tbsp Madame Susan Chili Crisp solids, and 2 tsp Madame Susan Chili Crisp oil in wok, coat evenly
- Add minced garlic, minced ginger and cook until garlic and ginger is lightly browned and fragrant
- Add in white parts of scallion and cook until soft
- Add fermented black soybeans (douchi) and Pixian doubanjang
- Add in ground beef, mix into ingredients in pan and brown thoroughly
- Add Shaoxing cooking wine, deglaze pan
- Add in ⅔ cup water, soy sauce and vinegar, mix and heat up liquid in wok
- Open and drain tofu. Cut into cubes, add to wok, mix well and cook until evenly heated
- Add cornstarch to 1/4 cup cold water, whisk well, add to wok and heat evenly until thickened
- Turn off heat and add most of the green diced scallions, reserving some for garnish
- Taste for seasoning, add soy sauce, vinegar or more chili crisp if necessary
- Cook pasta according to package and drain while reserving 2-3 tbsp of pasta cooking water
- Mix cooked pasta and pasta cooking water into Mapo Tofu meat sauce. Toss and serve with some additional green scallions for garnish
Of course, goes well with rice too!!
