Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - to cook
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns*
- 1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes
- 1/2 - 1 tablespoon Chilli Bean Sauce**
- 1 teaspoon Oyster sauce
- 250g pork mince
- 1/4 cup water - more as needed
- 500g regular tofu***
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch or plain flour + 1 & 1/2 teaspoon water
- 2-3 spring onions, chopped
- 3 bunches Chinese broccoli, chopped
- 3 cups cooked rice (use microwave rice if short on time)
Nutrition Information
Per serving | |
Energy | 1937 kJ |
463 Cal | |
Protein | 26.0 g |
Fat, total | 15.5 g |
— saturated | 4.5 g |
Carbohydrate | 52 g |
— sugars | 2.4 g |
Sodium | 508 mg |
Fibre | 9.2 g |
MA PO TOFU
Ma Po Tofu originated from the Sichuan province in China. High in protein and absolutely delicious! Be warned, it's spicy. Serve with rice.
Serves: 4 | Preparation Time: 40 minutes.
Method
- Cook rice according to packet instructions (or do this step last if using microwave rice). Place tofu between two sheets of paper towel to drain the excess water before cutting into small cubes.
- Place a wok over medium heat with oil. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, and then add the pork mince. Cook until the surface begins to brown.
- Add in the Sichuan peppercorns and chilli flakes, followed by the chilli bean sauce and oyster sauce. Stir to coat the mince in the sauce.
- Quickly add in the water, followed by tofu and stir everything together. Reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until mince is cooked through. Give it a stir occasionally, if the sauce is drying out add a little more water.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to the boil over medium heat and blanch (1-2 mins) or steam (2-3 mins) the Chinese broccoli. Transfer to plate when done.
- Prepare your cornstarch mixture – add 1 ½ tsp water and mix until dissolved
- Turn the heat up high for the wok and add cornstarch mixture to the wok whilst stirring. Allow it to bubble for a few seconds as it thickens. The sauce mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but not gloopy. If sauce mixture is too thick, splash in a bit of water.
- Switch off the heat and top with spring onions and toss to combine. Serve with rice and Chinese broccoli.
*Sichuan peppercorns give a numbing peppery taste to the dish, and are available from Asian supermarkets or grocers. Can be omitted if you cannot find it.
** Chilli Bean Sauce is available in the Asian aisle of Coles and Woolworths.
***Avoid using a firm or silken tofu; a 'regular' or 'original' or 'classic' type tofu works best for this recipe.
