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Ma po tofu jaffles

You know ma po tofu, but are you familiar with the joys of a jaffle stuffed with the Sichuan staple?

By Lisa Featherby
  • 25 mins preparation
  • 30 mins cooking
  • Serves 6
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Ma po tofu is amazing in a jaffle, the silken tofu making the filling almost like custard. For a vegetarian version, use 200gm finely chopped Swiss brown mushroom in place of the pork.

Ingredients

  • Softened butter, for spreading
  • 12 slices white bread
Ma po tofu
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) Shaoxing wine
  • 1½ tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp doubanjiang (see note)
  • 2 birdseye chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 500 gm minced pork
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 10 gm (2cm piece) ginger, finely chopped
  • 2½ tsp crushed Sichuan pepper
  • 1 spring onion, white part only, thinly sliced
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp chilli sauce (we used Lao Gan Ma brand chilli crisp sauce)
  • 500 gm silken tofu, cut into 3cm pieces
  • ½ tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tsp water

Method

  • 1
    For ma po tofu, combine Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, doubanjiang and chillies in a bowl. Heat oil in a wok over high heat, add pork, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until starting to brown (1-2 minutes). Add Sichuan pepper and stir to combine, then stir in Shaoxing wine mixture, spring onion, stock and chilli sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is cooked through (8-10 minutes). Add tofu and cornflour mixture and stir gently until sauce is thickened slightly and tofu is warmed through and coated (1-2 minutes). Cool briefly.
  • 2
    Heat a jaffle maker. Butter bread and place half, butter-side down, on a sheet of baking paper. Cover with ma po tofu, spreading a little thicker in the centre and leaving a 5mm border, then sandwich with remaining bread, butter-side up. Toast in batches in jaffle maker until golden brown (3-5 minutes).

Notes

Doubanjiang, a hot chilli broad bean paste, is available from Asian grocers.