Mapo tofu with chilli crisp and chicken

This mapo tofu with Lao Gan Ma from Analiese Gregory switches out the more traditional pork mince for chicken and silken tofu for a medium-firm tofu, for a modern day version of this Chinese classic dish. Switch it up by adding eggplant instead of tofu, or shiitake mushrooms instead of Asian greens. It also makes for a surprisingly delicious sandwich filling or spooned over eggs for breakfast.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 120 ml vegetable oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 cm x 3 cm piece ginger, finely chopped
• 500 g chicken mince
• ¼ cup doubanjiang (fermented chilli bean paste)
• 2 tbsp Lao Gan Ma original (chilli crisp oil)
• 2 tbsp fermented bean paste (or miso)
• ¼ tsp ground Sichuan pepper
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Shaoxing wine
• ¼ cup (60 ml) light soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock (or water), combined with 1 tbsp cornflour
• ½ bunch gai lan (or Asian greens), thinly shredded
• 500 g medium-firm tofu, cut into 1 cm cubes
• Cooked rice, crispy shallots, fried eggs, to serve (optional)
• ½ bunch spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan, then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook gently until softened and translucent. Increase the heat, then add the chicken mince and cook, breaking up with a spoon until it browns.
2. Once the chicken mince has browned, stir through the doubanjiang, chilli crisp oil, fermented bean paste (or miso) and Sichuan pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Aadd the Shaoxing wine and soy sauce and cook, stirring, until reduced. Pour in the chicken stock cornflour slurry and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
3. Add the Asian greens and tofu and cook until warmed through, then remove the pan from the heat. To serve, divide cooked rice between bowls and top with the mapo tofu. Sprinkle with crispy shallots, top with a fried egg if using then finish with spring onions.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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