Classic Sichuan Tofu with Pork (Printer-friendly)
Silky tofu cubes with ground pork in spicy aromatic sauce featuring doubanjiang and numbing peppercorns.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Protein & Tofu
01 - 14 oz soft or medium-firm tofu, cubed
02 - 7 oz ground pork
→ Aromatics
03 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
06 - 3 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced
→ Sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (fermented broad bean chili paste)
08 - 1 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed and roughly chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
11 - 1 teaspoon sugar
12 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
13 - 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
14 - 1 teaspoon chili oil
15 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
→ Garnish
16 - 1 tablespoon scallion greens, sliced
17 - 1 teaspoon toasted ground Sichuan peppercorns
# How-To Guide:
01 - Cut the tofu into ¾ inch cubes. Place in a bowl of hot, lightly salted water for 5 minutes to firm up. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook until no longer pink, breaking up any clumps, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add the garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the scallions. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in the doubanjiang and fermented black beans. Fry for 1–2 minutes until the oil turns red and aromatic.
05 - Pour in the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and broth. Bring to a simmer.
06 - Gently add the tofu cubes to the pan. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, allowing the tofu to absorb the flavors.
07 - Stir in the chili oil and ground Sichuan peppercorns.
08 - Pour in the cornstarch slurry, stir gently, and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 1–2 minutes.
09 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove from heat, garnish with scallion greens and extra ground Sichuan peppercorns if desired. Serve hot with steamed rice.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce achieves that perfect restaurant quality thickness while clinging to every tofu cube.
- You get complete control over the heat level, making it approachable for spice newcomers while still delivering authentic flavor.
- Everything comes together in under 35 minutes, including prep time.
02 -
- Resist the urge to stir vigorously once the tofu goes in or you will end up with tofu mash instead of distinct cubes.
- The sauce will continue thickening off the heat, so pull it a minute before it looks perfect.
03 -
- Doubanjiang varies wildly between brands, so start with less and add more as needed.
- Freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns make such a difference that once you try them, you will never go back to pre ground powder.