Mapo tofu as written in The Professional Chef (CIA textbook)
Chinese Cooking Demystified · ♥ 18.1K likes · 763.4K views · 12 min video
Read about tofu in the BrightCulinary Book
Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
- 450 g firm tofu
- peanut oil
- snow peas
- red bell pepper
- bean sprouts
- sliced shiitake mushrooms
- minced garlic
- minced ginger
- sliced scallions
- cilantro
- Pixian Douban chili bean paste
- Chinese black bean sauce
- vegetarian oyster sauce
- chili powder
- Sichuan peppercorn powder
Cut the tofu into half inch thick triangles and deep fry five minutes in peanut oil at 175 celsius, then set aside.
- 3 tbsp peanut oil
Heat three tablespoons of peanut oil over medium high and fry the aromatics; the book says a minute, they began burning at 30 seconds.
Add the chili bean paste, black bean sauce and chili powder; the book says a minute, they began burning at 30 seconds.
Add all the vegetables at once, as written. Staggering them would be better, since mushroom and bell pepper are not done at the same time.
Stir fry six to eight minutes as written. The chili bean paste scorches well before that, since it wants low heat.
- salt
- white pepper
- sesame oil
Add the tofu, the beef, oyster sauce, salt, white pepper, sesame oil and cilantro and stir fry three more minutes as written; the host stopped at one.
Cut everything one way: tofu triangles against slivered vegetables against ground beef breaks the shape rule and the dish does not read as a whole.
The shape rule, and verdict