Mapo tofu with smashed cucumbers
Ching's spicy vegetarian mapo tofu is paired with a fragrant and smashed cucumber salad. This is a speedy midweek dinner with a great kick.
Ingredients
For the smashed cucumbers
- 1 cucumber
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- 1–2 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp crispy chilli oil
For the mapo tofu
- 1–2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2.5cm/1in fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp chilli bean paste
- 1 tbsp fermented black bean paste
- 400g/14oz fresh firm tofu, drained and sliced into 1.5cm/½in cubes
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 200ml/7fl oz cold vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp Sichuan preserved vegetables in chilli oil, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp cornflour, blended with 2 tbsp cold water
- salt and freshly ground pepper
To serve
- cooked jasmine rice
- 2 pinches ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced
- 1 small bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked and stems chopped
- drizzle chilli oil (optional)
Method
To make the smashed cucumbers, begin by smashing the cucumber into large chunks with a rolling pin. Once crushed, scrape out the seeds and chop the larger pieces into irregular chunks. Put in a colander over a bowl with the salt for 30 minutes and allow to strain.
Mix the remaining ingredients together, taste and adjust if needed. Toss the dressing with the cucumber when it is ready.
To make the mapo tofu, heat a wok over a high heat until smoking. Add the groundnut oil and give it a swirl. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilli. Cook, stirring, for a few seconds, before adding the chilli bean paste and black bean paste, followed by the tofu. Cook, tossing, for 10 seconds.
Add the Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, vinegar and stock, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir in the Sichuan preserved vegetables and blended cornflour. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce is thickened. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Serve the mapo tofu with the smashed cucumber and jasmine rice. Garnish the tofu with the ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns, spring onion and coriander stems and leaves. Drizzle with extra chilli oil if needed.
