Servings: 2 portions
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu (12 oz / 350g; medium-firm or soft)
- 5 oz ground meat (pork, beef, or chicken) (150g)
- 1 tsp salt (for blanching the tofu)
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns or powder (toasted and ground, to taste)
- 2 tbsp doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste, to taste)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce (to taste)
- 1 tsp chicken powder (to taste)
- ½ tbsp sugar (to balance, to taste)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (for thickening)
- 1⅔ cup water (~400 ml, for simmering)
- 2 scallions (white and green parts separated, chopped)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
- Chili oil or chili powder (optional, for extra heat)
- Sesame oil (optional, for finishing)
- Douchi (fermented black beans, optional — finely chopped and sautéed with doubanjiang for added depth and umami)
Instructions
- Gently drain the tofu and cut it into roughly ½‑inch (1 cm) cubes. Blanch in lightly salted, simmering water for 1 minute, drain, and set aside.
- Heat some oil in a pan. Sauté half of the garlic and ginger briefly, then add the ground meat. Season with light soy sauce and cook until crumbly and browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil, garlic, and ginger to the pan. Stir in the doubanjiang (and optional douchi) and cook until the oil turns red and fragrant. Pour in the water, gently fold in the tofu, and add the white parts of the scallions. Season with soy sauce, chicken powder, and sugar, and simmer for 2–3 minutes to let the flavors soak in.
- Return the cooked meat to the pan, stir in the ground Sichuan pepper, and adjust seasoning to taste. Mix the cornstarch with a little water to make a slurry, then add it to the pan, stirring gently until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Top with the green scallion parts, drizzle with sesame oil if desired, and serve immediately with hot steamed rice.
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