Mapo Tofu — 1986 Sichuan Restaurant Method

Make authentic Mapo Tofu the classic Sichuan restaurant-style: silky tofu, numbing Sichuan pepper, and oil-bloomed doubanjiang. Adapted from a 1986 cookbook by the Sichuan restaurant at Beijing’s Qianmen Hotel (前门饭店), this deep-dive explains what each step adds to flavour and texture. Main ingredient: • Soft tofu (southern-style) — 4 blocks (approx. 1 kg total) Auxiliary ingredients: • Lean beef — 75 g • Green garlic (蒜苗 / 青蒜) — 25 g Seasonings: • Peanut oil — 125 g • Sichuan doubanjiang — 50 g • Fermented black beans (douchi) — 15 g • Chilli powder — a small amount (to taste) • Potato starch slurry — 25 g starch • Ground Sichuan peppercorn — 1.5 g • Soy sauce — 25 g • Shaoxing wine — 15 g • MSG — 5 g (present in text; omitted in video) • Spring onion — 30 g • Ginger — 30 g • Garlic (minced) — 25 g • Salt — 1.5 g Method: 1. Prep the ingredients: Cut each block of tofu into neat, bite-sized cubes. Mince the beef finely so it breaks down easily when fried. Lightly crush the green garlic and cut it into short segments. Chop the doubanjiang and crush the douchi to help them release flavour. Finely mince the onion, ginger, and garlic so they cook fast and evenly. 2. Blanch the tofu: Simmer briefly in lightly salted water to firm it up and reduce any raw beaniness. Drain well and set aside. 3. Build the base: Heat the wok until just smoking, then add the peanut oil. Fry the beef over high heat, stirring constantly, until it loses moisture and begins to sizzle in its own fat. Add the doubanjiang, douchi, and chilli powder and continue to stir-fry until the oil turns red and aromatic. 4. Layer aromatics: Add the minced spring onion, ginger, and garlic. Stir quickly to release their fragrance, then add soy sauce and Shaoxing wine to form a deeply savoury base. 5. Simmer and thicken: Gently slide in the blanched tofu, taking care not to break the cubes. Bring everything to a gentle boil so the flavours infuse. Adjust seasoning if needed, then stir in the starch slurry to lightly thicken the sauce. 6. Finish and serve: Sprinkle the green garlic over the top and dust with ground Sichuan pepper for aroma and numbing heat. Serve immediately in a warmed bowl. 📜 Historical Recipe Reference: This recipe is based on a method published in Qianmen Hotel Cookbook (前门饭店菜谱), first edition, September 1986. The ingredient list has been preserved with metric conversions, and the method has been fully rewritten in English. All rights to the original text remain with the respective rights holders. This presentation is for educational, historical, and culinary reference purposes. ____ 📸 Follow us on Instagram »   / w2kitchn   #W2Kitchen #mapotofu