Hello fellow foodies! As you know, at LG Foods, we always motivate our staffs to push their limits.
So, last week, we tasked one of our colleagues who is an amateur in cooking aka ‘The Noob’ to whip up Mapo Tofu.
Originated from the Sichuan Province, where spicy food is king, Mapo Tofu is primarily made of cubed tofu with pork, or beef, in a bright red spicy sauce.
To give our dear colleague some guidance, we provided her with a fool-proof recipe.
Prepare the ingredients
Primary Ingredients:
2 boxes LG Pressed Tofu
Half pack Impossible Ground Beef
Secondary Ingredients:
Chopped spring onions
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons Spicy Chili Bean Sauce
2 tablespoons Tamari Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Rice Wine
2 teaspoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Corn Starch
2 teaspoons Szechuan Peppercorn
2 tablespoons Oil
118ml Water
Of course, she had to use our tofu. Tofu from LG Foods is made from non-GMO, high quality beans and they are suitable for various cooking styles. You have the option of Silken Tofu or Pressed Tofu. For silken tofu, you should soak it in salt water first, and be gentle when cooking.
And as a vegan, she substitutes the meat with plant-based beef from Impossible Foods. Though we must say, it does not smell like beef at all. But continue reading to find out how it tastes like!
2. The Sze Chuan Pepper Oil
If you ever experienced a numbing, tingling sensation after eating this dish, it’s because of the legendary Szechuan Peppercorn. To prepare the Sze Chuan pepper oil, heat the oil in a clean frying pan over medium heat. Add the peppercorn and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the oil from the heat and discard the peppercorn. Set it aside for later use.
3. The Impossible Meat
With the same frying pan, sauté minced garlic and ginger with 4 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat until fragrant. Then, add in the minced beef. Cook for 5 minutes until browned.
4. The Spicy Sauce
Next, add in the spicy chili bean sauce and stir fry with the meat until fragrant. Mix in the rice wine and tamari soy sauce. Finally, cover and leave the cubed tofu to simmer for 3-5 minutes.
After which, to thicken the sauce, add in corn starch and water mixture and it’s ready!
5. The End Product
Finally, transfer it to a serving plate and drizzle with the Sze Chuan pepper oil. Finish it off with spring onions and it’s ready!
The Verdict
As Mapo Tofu has a strong savory taste, be sure to cook some rice to go along with this dish.
We are pretty impressed with how it turned out. The texture of the tofu complements the sauce perfectly. It has just the right amount of spice, thankfully, as we can’t take spicy food.
As for the Impossible Beef that was used, it does have the mouthfeel of the actual meat. There is a slight umami flavor which adds another layer of flavor to the dish. We would say that this is a great meat alternative with 19g of protein.
Overall, a big clap for our colleague! We guess we can’t call her a noob anymore 😂
If you’re interested in cooking, be sure to follow us on Instagram for more recipes! You can also find our products in various supermarkets islandwide, FairPrice Online, Shopee and The Picky Grocer.
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