Savory and Sweet Mapo Sauce Over Rice
How to Make Delicious Mapo Sauce Over Rice at Home
Experience the perfect blend of soft tofu and chewy eggplant in this savory and sweet Mapo sauce덮밥 (over rice). It’s a dish that will have you finishing your rice bowl in no time!
Main Ingredients- 1/2 block Tofu (approx. 150g)
- 1 medium Eggplant
- 100g Ground Pork
- 2 bowls Warm Cooked Rice
- A little Scallions (for garnish)
- 1/2 cup Water (100ml)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
Mapo Sauce- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Chili Oil
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- Starch Slurry (1 Tbsp Starch + 2 Tbsp Water)
Seasoning Paste- 1 Tbsp Doubanjiang (Fermented Bean Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Minced Ginger
- 1 Tbsp Minced Scallions
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Chili Oil
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- Starch Slurry (1 Tbsp Starch + 2 Tbsp Water)
Seasoning Paste- 1 Tbsp Doubanjiang (Fermented Bean Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Minced Ginger
- 1 Tbsp Minced Scallions
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the tofu and eggplant thoroughly and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes. If you cut them too small, they might break apart while stir-frying, so aim for a manageable size.
Step 2
Place the cubed tofu into boiling water and blanch for about 1 minute. This step helps remove any unwanted smell from the tofu and firms it up, preventing it from breaking when stir-fried. After blanching, drain the tofu well using a sieve.
Step 3
Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and stir-fry until the meat is no longer pink and becomes crumbly. It’s important to cook the pork thoroughly.
Step 4
Once the pork is mostly cooked, add the minced garlic, minced scallions, and minced ginger. Continue to stir-fry until fragrant, allowing the aromas to mingle with the pork and enhance the overall flavor.
Step 5
Add 1 tablespoon of Doubanjiang (fermented bean paste) to the cooked pork and stir quickly to combine. Cook over medium-low heat to prevent the Doubanjiang from burning.
Step 6
Add the cubed eggplant to the pan and stir-fry with the pork. Continue cooking until the eggplant becomes tender and starts to absorb the flavors.
Step 7
When the eggplant is about halfway cooked and looks slightly translucent, add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili oil, black pepper, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer so the flavors meld into the ingredients.
Step 8
Gently add the blanched tofu to the sauce. Stir carefully to mix the tofu with the sauce without breaking it apart. Treat the tofu with care to maintain its shape.
Step 9
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of starch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth to create the starch slurry. Gradually pour the starch slurry into the Mapo sauce while stirring constantly, until it reaches your desired thickness. The sauce will thicken quickly once the starch is added, so keep stirring.
Step 10
Spoon the rich Mapo sauce generously over a bowl of warm cooked rice. Finally, garnish with chopped scallions for a visually appealing and flavorful finish. Enjoy your delicious Mapo Sauce Over Rice!
