Quick 20-min Tofu Dish (Print)

Smooth tofu pieces mixed with tasty ground pork in a fiery Sichuan-style sauce, finished in just 20 minutes for a fast evening meal.

# Ingredients:

01 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

02 - 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn

03 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

04 - 2 teaspoons chili oil

05 - 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

06 - 2 teaspoons salt

07 - 1/4 teaspoon minced ginger

08 - 1 scallion, chopped finely, divide greens and whites

09 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons doubanjiang (spicy bean paste)

11 - 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce

12 - 1 lb silken tofu, cut into cubes

13 - 1 cup chicken stock (low-sodium)

14 - 1/2 lb ground pork

15 - 1/2 teaspoon white sugar

16 - 2 tablespoons cold water

17 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

01 - Stir together cornstarch and cold water in a little dish until no lumps remain. Keep handy for later.

02 - Using a sharp knife, chop the tofu into cubes about an inch wide. Make cross-wise cuts after slicing horizontally.

03 - Heat salted water in a medium pot. Add tofu cubes and cook for a minute, then carefully drain them in a colander. Don’t rinse.

04 - Warm up vegetable oil in a big non-stick pan. Toss in the ground pork and cook for 4-5 minutes until the liquid is gone.

05 - Throw in garlic, whites of the scallion, and ginger to the browned pork. Stir until it smells amazing.

06 - Sprinkle in sugar, chili oil, doubanjiang, bouillon powder, Sichuan peppercorn, and soy sauce. Stir to mix thoroughly.

07 - Add chicken stock into the pan, followed by the prepared thickener. Stir well and let it cook until the sauce thickens a bit.

08 - Place tofu into the pan and gently fold it into the sauce using a spatula. Be careful to avoid breaking it.

09 - Top with sesame oil and garnish with scallion greens. Serve warm alongside rice if you like.

01 - Fresh silken tofu works best. Keep cooking short to keep the texture smooth.

02 - You can find doubanjiang at most Asian stores. Adjust for more or less heat.