If you've never boiled your tofu, you're missing out.

Published about 2 months ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader,

The first time I boiled tofu, I thought it was a strange thing to do. But it really is not!

Two minutes in simmering salted water and the tofu firms up enough to hold its shape through the sauce. It also loses that raw soy taste that shows through when it isn't seasoned from the inside.

Mapo tofu is silken tofu in a Sichuan sauce built on doubanjiang, a fermented Sichuan bean paste that you absolutely should consider getting for your pantry (this is the brand that I use and love - affiliate link).

The doubanjiang needs a full minute of frying in oil before anything else goes in. It's the fermented bean paste that defines the dish, salty and savory and spicy in a way that builds as you eat. Rush it and the sauce goes flat.

Once you have it in your fridge, you're set up for a whole category of Sichuan cooking. The silken tofu method travels too.

Thirty minutes. Fiery and numbing at the same time. You eat it over rice when you want something that actually warms you up.

Get Mapo Tofu Recipe

Toodles,
Shruthi

P.S., We are starting a major landscape project for our backyard. Decided to use turf under the three massive trees after several attempts at trying other stuff that didn't grow, sigh. Any tips for maintaining turf? I'd appreciate it a lot.

An overhead image of mapo tofu in a skillet, ready for serving. — I mean, just look at how delicious that looks - let me know if you try it this weekend.

Shruthi B. Makanju

Mom. Engineer. Vegetarian friend on your shoulder.

Will travel for good food; then bring it home for Tuesday dinner.

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