Sichuan-Style Mapo Tofu

Tips

• Push the tofu, do not stir it. Silken tofu breaks apart if stirred like a stir-fry. Nudge the cubes from the edge with the back of a ladle so they stay whole.

• Chop the doubanjiang before it goes in. The paste has whole beans and chili pieces. A quick chop lets it melt into the oil and turn it red within that minute.

• Re-stir the slurry just before adding. Cornstarch sinks within a minute, and a settled slurry goes in as lumps. Drizzle it in while gently pushing the tofu.

Swaps

• No ground pork? Ground beef, which many Sichuan cooks use. Brown it the same way until crisp.

• No doubanjiang (chili bean paste)? Gochujang thinned with an extra spoon of soy sauce. Sweeter and less funky, so leave out the sugar.

• No Sichuan peppercorns? Freshly ground black pepper. You lose the numbing tingle, but the dish still works.

Storage

• Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. The tofu releases water as it sits, so the sauce thins.

• Freezer: Not worth freezing: silken tofu thaws spongy and watery. The pork sauce alone keeps 2 to 3 months.

• Reheat: In a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, nudging gently, until steaming hot (75°C in the center).

Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.