Vegetarian Tomato Mapo Tofu
Mapo tofu, the classic Sichuan dish that is now a Chinese American staple, receives a summery twist with the addition of tomatoes. Its signature tingly and assertive flavors are intensified by the umami tanginess of tomatoes, which also add a hint of fresh acidity. When you add the tofu, it will look like there’s not enough liquid, but rest assured, the tomatoes do break down during the cooking process, providing a soupy base. Not all brands of doubanjiang are created equal, so look for ones that come from Pixian, in Sichuan, as they tend to be the most flavorful thanks to a long period of fermentation under sunlight, resulting in a reddish-brown color with a deep and complex umami.
Ingredients
- vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1yellow onion, halved and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 6 ouncescremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved or quartered, depending on size
- salt and pepper
- 1piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 3garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1whole dried red chiles (such as er jing tiao or chile de árbol) or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoonsdoubanjiang (fermented spicy broad bean paste) or chinese black bean sauce
- ½ teaspoonsichuan peppercorns (to your liking)
- 1 poundtomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoonsoy sauce
- 2packages silken tofu, drained
- 2 teaspoonstoasted sesame oil
- 2scallions, thinly sliced
- cooked rice, to serve
Directions
- 1
Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot on medium-high. When hot, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and then add the onion and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Stir until the mushrooms and onions have softened and have golden edges, 2 to 3 minutes.
- 2
Add the ginger, garlic, dried chiles, doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorns, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, soy sauce and 1/2 cup water, and stir to combine.
- 3
Add the silken tofu to the pot, breaking it up into irregular chunks, and gently stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- 4
To serve, drizzle with sesame oil, top with scallions and eat with rice.