Name: Vegan mapo tofu
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Serves 3
Ingredients: 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 200g firm tofu drained, patted dry and cut into cubes; 50g silken tofu; 2, green tops only spring onions chopped; 1 tbsp chilli oil; ground to make 2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns; 1 onion finely diced; a thumb sized piece ginger finely chopped; 5 cloves garlic finely chopped; 3 tbsp doubanjiang (see details below); 200ml kombu stock (see details below); 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp soft brown sugar; 1 tbsp shaoxing wine

Tofu Recipe from XU Taiwanese Restaurant

3 tbsp vegetable oil
200g firm tofu
drained, patted dry and cut into cubes
50g silken tofu
2, green tops only spring onions
chopped
1 tbsp chilli oil
ground to make 2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns

SZECHUAN SAUCE

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
1 onion
finely diced
a thumb sized piece ginger
finely chopped
5 cloves garlic
finely chopped
3 tbsp doubanjiang
(see details below)
200ml kombu stock
(see details below)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp shaoxing wine

Method

step 1
To make the sauce, heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan, add the peppercorns and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Scoop the peppercorns out of the oil and discard. Add the onions to the infused oil in the same pan and cook for 10 minutes until caramelised. Add the ginger and garlic, and fry for another few minutes, then add the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes on a low heat until thickened.
step 2
Heat another 3 tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan and add the firm tofu. Fry for 5 minutes, turning often until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
step 3
Put the firm tofu onto a plate, pour over the sauce, and add the pieces of silken tofu, spring onions, a drizzle of chilli oil and some of the ground szechuan pepper.