Mapo tofu is one of Sichuan cuisine’s most iconic dishes. It consists of silky tofu bathed in a fiery, aromatic sauce that balances heat, numbing spice, and rich umami flavor. Mapo tofu roughly translates to “pockmarked grandma’s tofu,” which is named for the elderly Chengdu woman who created the dish in the 19th century.
The stew is traditionally made with soft tofu, ground beef, or pork. A potent blend of hot chile oil, fermented broad bean paste (doubanjiang), and Sichuan peppercorns delivers heat and complexity to the fiery stew. Meanwhile, the peppercorns numb the tongue, which helps temper the chile heat.
