Name: Ma po doufu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 1 tbsp (about 15gm) finely chopped ginger; 1 tbsp finely chopped red chilli (about 4 birdseye, or to taste); 1 tbsp chopped garlic (about 2½ cloves); 2 tbsp chilli bean paste; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp oyster sauce; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 300 gm minced pork, marinated in 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp caster sugar; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 100 ml chicken stock; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 1 tbsp chilli oil; 1 tbsp coarsely ground Sichuan pepper; 3 spring onions, finely sliced; To serve: coriander leaves; To serve: steamed rice; Soymilk custard; 400 ml unsweetened soymilk; 3½ eggs, whisked lightly and strained; 80 ml white soy sauce (see note)

Ma po doufu

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for ma po doufu by Dan Hong.

Serves 2

Prep

15M

Cook

30M

Total

45M

Ingredients

1 tbsp (about 15gm) finely chopped ginger

1 tbsp finely chopped red chilli (about 4 birdseye, or to taste)

1 tbsp chopped garlic (about 2½ cloves)

2 tbsp chilli bean paste

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp caster sugar

300 gm minced pork, marinated in 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp caster sugar

1 tbsp vegetable oil

100 ml chicken stock

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1 tbsp chilli oil

1 tbsp coarsely ground Sichuan pepper

3 spring onions, finely sliced

To serve: coriander leaves

To serve: steamed rice

Soymilk custard

400 ml unsweetened soymilk

3½ eggs, whisked lightly and strained

80 ml white soy sauce (see note)

Method

Main

1.For soymilk custard, whisk soymilk, egg and soy sauce in a bowl to combine. Divide into 2 heatproof 18cm-diameter bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and steam in a bamboo steamer over a saucepan of boiling water until custard is set and firm but still a little soft to the touch (15-18 minutes). Keep warm.

2.Combine ginger, chilli and garlic in a bowl. Combine chilli bean paste, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar in a separate bowl. Heat a wok over high heat until smoking hot, add oil, then pork and cook, stirring constantly and breaking up pork with spoon. When pork is cooked three-quarters of the way through (2-3 minutes), add ginger mixture and cook for 30 seconds. Add chilli bean paste mixture and cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken stock and cook until sauce is reduced and meat is coated (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat, add Shaoxing wine and chilli oil. Divide among cooked custards and top with Sichuan pepper, spring onion and coriander. Serve with steamed rice.

White soy sauce, also known as shiro shoyu, is available from Japanese grocers such as Tokyo Mart and Chef’s Armoury.
This recipe was published in May 2013.
Notes