Go Back
–+ servings

Japanese Mapo Tofu (Mabo Dofu)

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 Servings

Ingredients 
 

Pork

  • 100 g ground pork or beef/pork mix, other ground meat, minced soy meat
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper
  • ½ onion finely diced
  • ½ tsp sake or dry sherry, dry white wine
  • ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • ½ tbsp yellow miso paste (awase) red/white mix, or red
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • ½ tbsp chili bean sauce (toban djan) adjust amount for spice preference
  • 1 tsp grated garlic or garlic paste
  • 300 g firm tofu

Broth

  • 200 ml chicken bouillon or other types of bouillon of your choice
  • 1 tbsp sake or dry sherry, dry white wine
  • ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • ½ tbsp oyster sauce mushroom sauce for vegetarian alternative
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • finely chopped green onions to garnish
  • 2 tbsp cold water to make slurry
  • 2 tsp cornstarch to make slurry, or potato starch
  • 2 tsp chili oil (rayu) optional, adjust to taste
  • chili threads optional garnish

Instructions 

  • Heat the pan on medium and add 100 g ground pork. Sprinkle it with 1 pinch salt and pepper and fry until browned. (You can add a little oil if it's sticking, but if you're using a non-stick pan, generally the pork has enough fat to prevent it from sticking to the pan.)
    browning pork mince for mapo tofu
  • Add the ½ onion (finely diced) to the pan and fry with the pork until slightly softened.
    frying onions with meat for mabo tofu
  • Next, add ½ tsp sake, ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and ½ tbsp yellow miso paste (awase) and mix until evenly distributed through the pork.
    adding sake, soy sauce and miso paste to the pork
  • Push the pork to one side of the pan and on the empty side, add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, ½ tbsp chili bean sauce (toban djan) and 1 tsp grated garlic. Mix them together for about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Once fragrant, mix with the pork.
    Pushing meat to one side and adding tobanjan and garlic paste
  • Pour 200 ml chicken bouillon into the pan, add 300 g firm tofu (cubed) and bring the mixture to a boil, mixing occasionally. Once bubbling, turn the heat down to a simmer.
    adding chicken stock and tofu
  • Add 1 tbsp sake, ½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), ½ tbsp oyster sauce and ¼ tsp ground black pepper to flavor the sauce.
    lowering to simmer and adding sake, soy sauce, oyster sauce and black pepper
  • Simmer until the sauce is reduced to about half, mixing occasionally.
    Mix and simmer
  • Take a small bowl and mix 2 tbsp cold water with 2 tsp cornstarch. Once smooth, add it to the pan and mix.
    Add slurry to thicken mapo tofu
  • Once the sauce has become thick and glossy, add 2 tsp chili oil (rayu), mix and turn off the heat.
    Turn off heat and drizzle mapo tofu with chili oil
  • Sprinkle with chopped finely chopped green onions and chili threads (optional).
    Dish up and sprinkle with spring onions and dried chili
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • For vegetarians: Replace pork with a meat alternative and use vegetarian miso paste, mushroom sauce instead of oyster sauce, and vegetable bouillon.
  • Miso options: Yellow (awase) miso paste works best, but you can use red or white miso, or mix red and white in equal parts to create your own awase miso.
  • I recommend using an Asian-style chicken bouillon to make the stock. But you can also use other types of bouillon if that's easier for you.
  • To adjust spiciness: First, remove the chili oil topping for milder flavor, then substitute yellow miso for chili bean paste for an even milder version.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat refrigerated Mabo Dofu in a microwave or pan before serving.
  • Serving suggestions: cooked Japanese rice, mugen piman, sesame spinach salad, Japanese egg drop soup.