Mapo Tofu Ramen
This mapo tofu ramen is made with ramen noodles that are smothered in a mouth-tingling sauce of tofu, ground pork, plenty of chiles, preserved black beans, and bean sauce. An easy and comforting mash-up of Chinese mapo tofu and Japanese ramen.
Ingredients
- Big pinch salt
- Two (21-to 25-oz) packages firm or extra-firm silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons Sichuan (Szechuan) peppercorns* (see NOTE above)
- 4 dried red Chinese chile peppers
- 1/4 cup mild vegetable oil
- 1 bird’s eye or Thai chile (or more, to taste), thinly sliced and, if desired, seeded
- 2 anchovy fillets (optional)
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 ounce piece of ginger root, peeled and finely grated (juices reserved)
- 10 1/2 ounces ground pork
- 1 tablespoon preserved black beans
- 3 ounces doubanjiang or chili bean sauce (about 4 tablespoons)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar (or just blitz granulated sugar in a blender until finely ground but not powdery)
- 2 cups canned chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed to a paste with a little water, Worcestershire sauce, and/or soy sauce, to taste
- Four portions fresh or dried thick ramen noodles
- Small handful cilantro leaves, roughly torn
- Sesame seeds, toasted until deep golden brown
- Plenty of sansho (sometimes spelled sansyo) pepper*
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring 3 quarts (2.8 l) water and the salt to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cut the tofu into 1-inch (24-m) chunks, slip them in the water, and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Line a plate with paper towels and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the tofu to the paper towels to drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet or wok over low heat, toast the peppercorns and dried red Chinese chiles, shaking the skillet or wok occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to color, 3 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
- Transfer the cooled peppercorns and chiles to a spice grinder and process to a coarse powder.
- In the same skillet or wok over high heat, add the oil and the chile pepper along with the anchovies, if using. Cook for a minute or two and then add the garlic, ginger, and pork and fry until the pork is browned, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans, doubanjiang, sugar, and ground pepper and chiles. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, to let the flavors meld.
- Add the chicken stock and sesame oil and bring to a boil. Stir in about 3/4 of the cornstarch-water mixture and let the sauce boil, stirring continuously, until it thickens, which should take just a few minutes. You want the sauce to resemble a glossy gravy that will cling to the noodles. If you think it needs to be a little thicker, simply add a little more of the remaining cornstarch slurry.
- Taste the sauce and, if desired, adjust with more Worcestershire and/or soy sauces. Carefully stir the tofu into the sauce, using a gentle pushing motion with the back of your spatula and shaking the pan to coat the tofu without it crumbling into pieces.
- Set a large pot of water over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook the noodles until al dente. Drain well and divvy the noodles among 4 bowls. Top with the hot tofu mixture and garnish with the cilantro, sesame seeds, and sansho.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 956kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 2015mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g