Spicy Tofu with Minced Meat

We loved tofu very much.  It is a versatile ingredient with many health benefits.  It is an excellent source of amino acids, iron, calcium and other micro-nutrients.  The dish is like ‘Mapo tofu’ (a Sichuan dish) but it is not so strong and spicy.  It is because we cannot eat too hot and spicy.  Then I modified the recipe a bit but I still use the chili bean sauce to add some flavor.

I tried some doubanjiang (chili bean sauce) in different brand names during the past few years.  I found the taste is not so good until I found the following one (the red plastic bottle on the left hand side  shown in the second picture).  This one was highly recommended by my cookery teacher one year ago.  It is tasty and not too strong after adding it into the dish.  It is easy to buy in Chinese supermarkets.  If you like more hot and spicy, you add Sichuan peppercorns or chili oil.  

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serve: 2

Ingredients:

-        160g minced pork

-        ½ tbsp oil

-        2 pieces soft/silken tofu (cubed)

-        ½ red chili (chopped)

-        1 garlic clove (shredded)

-        1 tbsp doubanjiang/chili bean sauce

-        ½ tbsp. spring onion (chopped)

-        ½ tsp chili oil (optional)

Seasoning:

-        1 tsp soy sauce

-        ½ tsp sugar

-        ½ tsp sesame oil

-        a pinch of ground black pepper   

Sauce:

-        ½ tsp sesame oil

-        ½ tsp soy sauce

-        ½ tsp sugar

-        ½ tsp corn flour

-        1 tbsp water

-        a pinch of white pepper

Method:

1.	Marinate the minced pork with sugar, sesame oil, black pepper and soy sauce.
2.	Heat oil in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic cloves and minced meat into the saucepan.  Use a wooden spoon to break the minced meat up and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
3.	Toss in the doubanjiang/chili bean sauce into the minced meat and keep stir-fry for another 2 minutes.  Pour in 150g water and soft tofu, toss to coat the sauce over the tofu and then covered for 5 minutes.
4.	Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour over the sauce and spring onion and simmer for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.  It is optional to add 1-2 tsp chili oil for more hot and spicy flavor.
5.	Serve with rice.