Basil and chilli puff tofu with mapo tofu
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- no cooking required
- Serve
- Serves 4
Instead of ordering in, we’re doing a DIY Chinese feast! Try puffed tofu sizzling with basil and chilli, and a big bowl of mapo tofu to keep things spicy and soothing.
Ingredients
For the puff tofu
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 200g/7oz puff tofu
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 3 Thai red chillies, sliced
- 1 tbsp ground Sichuan pepper
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 4 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 4 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 small bunch fresh Thai basil
- 1 small bunch fresh holy basil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, to garnish
- freshly steamed jasmine rice, to serve
For the mapo tofu
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp very finely chopped fresh root ginger
- 2 red chillies, chopped
- 2 tbsp crushed Sichuan peppercorns
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 250g/9oz pork mince
- 2–3 tbsp spicy bean paste
- 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock
- 450g/1lb silken tofu, cut into cubes
- 1–2 tsp cornflour, mixed with 20ml/¾fl oz water
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp crispy chilli oil, to garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, to garnish
- 4 spring onions, chopped, to garnish
Method
To make the puff tofu, heat the vegetable oil in a wok and fry the puff tofu until crispy all over. Transfer to drain on kitchen paper.
In the same wok, fry the garlic, onion, chilli and Sichuan pepper for 1–2 minutes. Add the tofu back to the pan and stir in the sauces, Thai basil and holy basil. Garnish with the sesame seeds and keep warm.
To make the mapo tofu, heat the oil in a wok and fry the ginger and chillies for 1 minute. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and garlic.
Add the pork mince and fry for 3–4 minutes, before adding spicy bean paste and stock and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the silken tofu for 1 minute. Drain then add the tofu to the pork mixture. Stir in the cornflour mix.
Season with salt and pepper and add the sugar. Garnish with the chilli oil, sesame seeds and spring onions.
Serve the puff tofu and mapo tofu with the steamed rice.
