Chef Lee Yeon-bok’s Secret! Authentic Mapo Tofu Recipe for Your Home
Authentic Mapo Tofu by Chef Lee Yeon-bok
This Mapo Tofu, made with Chef Lee Yeon-bok’s recipe, is incredibly delicious! It’s so good that it’ll make you want to finish a whole bowl of rice. The key is to scoop generously with your rice spoon! ^^
Main Ingredients- 1 block tofu (approx. 300-350g)
- 1/2 green onion (white part mainly)
- 150g minced pork
Sauce Ingredients- 5 Tbsp cooking oil (generous spoonfuls)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp Doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste) (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (Mirin) (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp sugar (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (generous spoonful)
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 cup water (200ml)
- 5 Tbsp cooking oil (generous spoonfuls)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp Doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste) (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (Mirin) (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp sugar (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce (generous spoonful)
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (generous spoonful)
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 cup water (200ml)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, heat 5 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, finely chopped white parts of the green onion, and 1 tablespoon of chili powder. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until fragrant. Cooking over medium heat rather than high heat prevents the garlic and onion from burning and allows their aroma to develop nicely.
Step 2
Once the fragrant oil is ready, add 150g of minced pork and increase the heat to high. Break up the pork to prevent clumping and stir-fry until it’s no longer pink and turns golden brown. Thoroughly cooking the pork will enhance its flavor and eliminate any gamey smell.
Step 3
When the pork is nicely browned, pour in 1 cup (200ml) of water. Add 1 tablespoon of Doubanjiang, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of plum extract, and 1 tablespoon of cooking wine. Stir to combine the sauces, and once the mixture begins to boil, carefully add the block of tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3cm). Gently stir and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors.
Step 4
When the sauce has thickened and the tofu is well-coated with the delicious sauce, add a pinch of black pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds. Turn off the heat and finish by drizzling 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil for an extra nutty aroma. This completes the dish! Serve generously over hot rice and enjoy!
