Mapo Tofu

Zesty spices are king when it comes to Chinese food. Who doesn’t like an extra punch of smacking, tongue-numbing flavour? Originating from the Sichuan Province of China and featuring the signature spice of the region- the Sichuan Peppercorn, the mapo tofu unabashedly fires up your taste buds with its aroma and ardent flavour. It’s the perfect Main Course dish during cool seasons. Mild down the spi ... ce a bit, and your mapo tofu sauce will be on the lines of the Japanese version, and kids will love it. Mapo Tofu has come a long way from its Chinese origins and spread into the world populace- it has myriad forms as restaurants and takeout joints all around the world spun their own versions of the mapo tofu recipe, often experimenting with the spice levels and adding different veggies. While tofu, rightly called bean curd has the reputation of being bland, its softness and firmness facilitate the literal oozing of flavour. You simply can’t ignore the awesomeness of Tofu recipes in general. Tofu contains all the nine essential amino acids and is an excellent source of iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It is also rich in vitamin B1, the water-soluble vitamin workhorse which is essential for all body tissues to function properly. Quickly cooked with braised tofu, the mapo tofu recipe vegan is greatly relished as well. The pungent, scrumptious flavour goes effortlessly with steamed rice. The Sichuan Peppercorn, of citrusy taste, is a chewy, tongue-tingling ingredient in your mapo tofu that no spice can replace. Along with the Doubanjiang (spicy fermented bean paste), it ferments savoury to your senses.