Mapo Tofu

Prepare the above ingredients. Adjust the amounts of 'to taste' ingredients according to your preference. I went to the supermarket specifically for the minced beef but couldn't find any, so I had to rely on a food delivery app.

Cut the tofu into small cubes. The size depends on your preference. If you're bold enough, you can skip cutting it altogether. 😉

Boil water in a pot with a pinch of salt. Add the tofu and blanch for a few minutes, then drain.

Heat oil (rapeseed oil smells great when heated) in a wok until it's about 70% hot, with a slight smoke.

Add the minced beef and stir-fry quickly. You can add a little cooking wine to remove any gaminess.

Add minced ginger, scallion, garlic, ground Sichuan pepper, and chili flakes. Stir-fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute (use the white part of the scallion here and save the green part for later).

Add chopped Pixian bean paste (you can skip chopping if you're lazy) and stir-fry until the oil turns red.

Add stock or water—just enough to cover the tofu—and bring to a gentle boil.

Add the blanched tofu and stir gently (avoid breaking the tofu).

Simmer for 2-3 minutes. I found it too salty, so I added a bit of sugar (a Wuxi native's insistence).

Thicken with a little water starch and bring to a boil.

Plate the dish and sprinkle with the reserved scallion greens.

Clean the wok and heat a little more rapeseed oil.

Pour the hot oil over the tofu.

The final result is quite good—a perfect dish to pair with rice, living up to its reputation.