This is a repost of an old recipe, for the sole reason that a) I love this dish and b) my photography has gotten way better over time.  I posted this dish back in November when no one read this blog, I didn’t know what I was doing, and I was still shooting with 3 megapixels.  In hindsight, the combination of an old camera and tasty food may be a bit like the Hubble Space Telescope – put into space over a decade ago, but somehow keeps on delivering.

The translation of this dish is great – “pockmarked grandma” tofu – apparently named for the adventurous Szechuan discoverer of this dish.  Ma Po Tofu is usually very spicy, and the sauce is reddish from the spice.  Or, you can buy the spicy version of the Dou ban jiang (Chinese fermented beans), as I did here.

Anyhow, here is the recipe once again, but more tasty looking, and still just as delicious!

Feeds 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1. 1/2 pound lean ground pork
2. 2 tbsp spicy (preferably) dou ban jiang paste
3. 1 box of soft tofu
4. 2 stalks green onions, diced
5. 1 tsp vegetable oil
6. 1 tbsp cornstarch
7. 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. Heat oil on medium high and brown ground pork.  Add dou ban jiang and garlic.  Saute for 2-3 minutes.
2. While everything cooks, drain the tofu and cut into 1/2″ squares.
3. Add the tofu, and mix well.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add scallions, cook for 2-3 more minutes.
5. Add corn starch to a 1/2 cup of water and add as necessary to chicken the sauce.