Mapo tofu

Slice the soft tofu six times into planks, then cut into three quarter to one inch cubes and leave it on the board.

Boil about three quarts of salted water in a wok and slide the tofu in off the board with a bench scraper.

Simmer two minutes to remove the beany taste and firm the tofu, then lift it onto a paper towel lined plate.

Grate the ginger on a microplane and press the garlic.

Cut the scallion greens off for garnish and slice the light green and white parts.

Thinly slice the Thai chilies.

Grind the Szechuan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle.

Heat the wok over high heat until ripping hot and add the neutral oil.

Add the ground beef and smash it up as it browns.

Add the doubanjiang and stir fry with the beef about 30 seconds to open its flavour and infuse the oil.

Add the gochugaru and the ground Szechuan peppercorn and keep everything moving about a minute so nothing burns.

Add the scallions, Thai chilies, ginger and garlic and stir fry over high heat about 90 seconds until the raw edge is gone.

Deglaze with the Shaoxing wine and scrape everything up, about 30 seconds until reduced to a paste.

Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, salt, sugar, MSG and sesame oil, stir and bring up to a boil.

Flip in the blanched tofu and stir it gently into the sauce.

Simmer two minutes, then scrape the bottom of the wok.

Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer about 90 seconds to thicken; thin with splashes of chicken stock if it goes gravy-like.