fuchsia dunlop's mapo tofu

tonight we made mapo tofu, a spicy sichuan dish, based on fuchsia dunlop's recipe. she is our go-to for sichuan recipes :) here it is:

 

serves 4

vegetable oil
1 pound firm tofu cut into cubes
6 ounces ground pork
2 garlic cloves minced
2 leeks thinly sliced
2.5 tablespoons chili bean paste
1 tablespoon black beans
2 teaspoons szechuan peppercorns, pounded into a powder
1 cup chicken stock (or water)
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon corn starch dissolved in some water
1 scallion diced
salt to taste

1. soak the cubes of tofu in some salted hot water.
2. while the tofu soaks, pour the oil into a deep skillet or wok over high heat. stir fry the pork. turn the heat down a bit and throw in the garlic and leeks. when it starts to smell delicious, add in the chili bean paste, black beans, and sichuan pepper. stir the mixture some, and let the flavors meld.
3. pour in the stock.
4. drain the tofu and pour it in ... carefully as not to break up the cubes. use the back of your ladle to move the pieces around gently.
5. add the sugar, soy sauce, and salt (if needed). let the mixture simmer some more (~5 mins).
6. now put in the cornstarch mixture, but bit by bit. you may not need all of it. the sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of your ladle.
7. serve while its still hot, fresh off the burners, with some white rice, garnished with scallions and a bit more szechuan pepper powder...if you dare.