Grandma’s Pockmarked TOFU (MA PO Tofu)
- 30m Prep Time
- 15m Cook Time
- 45m Ready In
A classic Szechuan dish featuring soft tofu and ground pork in a spicy, numbing sauce made with chili oil, broad bean paste, and Szechuan peppercorns. Serve with steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 340 g ground pork
- 9.86 ml Shao-hsing wine or dry sherry
- 4.93 ml light soy sauce
- 4.93 ml dark soy sauce
- 4.93 ml sesame oil
- 29.6 ml cornstarch divided
- 29.6 ml vegetable oil
- fresh red chilies sliced
- chili oil
- 4 clove garlic finely minced
- 3 scallions finely minced
- 850 g soft tofu drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 44.4 ml hot broad bean sauce heaping
- 14.8 ml Szechuan peppercorns toasted and ground
- steamed rice
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 9 of 15 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 599 mg
- Iron: 5.46 mg
- Magnesium: 110 mg
- Phosphorus: 632 mg
- Potassium: 1033 mg
- Zinc: 4.78 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 340 g ground pork
- 9.86 ml Shao-hsing wine or dry sherry
- 4.93 ml light soy sauce
- 4.93 ml dark soy sauce
- 4.93 ml sesame oil
- 29.6 ml vegetable oil
- chili oil
- steamed rice
Prepare
- 29.6 ml cornstarch, divided
- Slice fresh red chilies
- 4 clove garlic, finely minced
- 3 scallions, finely minced
- 850 g soft tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 44.4 ml hot broad bean sauce, heaping
- 14.8 ml Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, 2 teaspoons Shao-hsing wine or dry sherry, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Mix well, then set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
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Step 2.
While the pork marinates, drain the tofu and cut it into ½-inch cubes. Also, slice 1 or 2 fresh red chilies, finely mince 4 cloves of garlic, and finely mince 3 scallions. Toast and grind 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns.
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Step 3.
In a large wok, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the sliced chilies, and 1 to 2 tablespoons chili oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute until fragrant.
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Step 4.
Add the minced garlic and scallions to the wok and stir-fry for another minute to release their flavors into the oil.
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Step 5.
Add the marinated pork mixture to the wok, breaking it apart with a spatula into small, pebbly pieces. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pork is no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes. Take your time to ensure the pork is well crumbled for the final texture.
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Step 6.
Gently add the cubed tofu to the wok, being careful not to break the pieces. Toss gently to heat the tofu through, about 1 to 2 minutes.
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Step 7.
Add 3 heaping tablespoons hot broad bean sauce and the ground Szechuan peppercorns to the wok. Toss gently until the sauce evenly coats the tofu and pork.
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Step 8.
In a small bowl, dissolve the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the wok and stir gently. Cook until the liquid bubbles and thickens, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the wok from the heat.
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Step 9.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.