Jiggly Mapo Tofu (or Japanese Mapo Tofu with Chawanmushi Base)
Jiggly Mapo Tofu (or Japanese Mapo Tofu with Chawanmushi Base)
Ingredients
For the Egg Custard Base
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk, or soymilk
- 1 cup dashi stock
- 1 gram salt, a pinch
For the Mapo Tofu
- 1/3 cup neutral oil
- 3 dried Thai red chillies
- 1 tablespoon sichuan peppercorns
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, piece, minced
- 150 grams ground beef
- 1 tablespoon doubanjiang
- 3/4 cup dashi stock
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chili oil, your favorite
For the Garnishes
- 1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon fried garlic, optional
- 1 stalk spring onion, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Crack 3 eggs into a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of milk (or soymilk) and 1 cup of dashi stock. Add 1 gram (a pinch of) salt. Whisk the mixture until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Pour the egg mixture into a donabe or a heatproof bowl. Cover the donabe/bowl tightly with aluminum foil. Place the covered donabe/bowl into a larger pot with water, ensuring the water does not go over the top of the donabe/bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Steam for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your donabe, until the egg custard is set and jiggly.
⏱️ 25 min
- 4
While the egg custard is steaming, heat 1/3 cup of neutral oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the 6 cloves of minced garlic and 1-inch piece of minced ginger to the pan and fry until fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
In a small food processor, add the 3 dried Thai red chillies (cut into smaller pieces using scissors) and 1 tablespoon of sichuan peppercorns. Blend until finely chopped.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Add the blended chillies and sichuan peppercorns to the pan with the garlic and ginger. Stir to combine and cook briefly.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Add 1 tablespoon of doubanjiang to the pan and mix it into the aromatics. Add 150 grams of ground beef to the pan. Break up the beef and cook until it is browned.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Pour 3/4 cup of dashi stock into the pan. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the mixture. Bring to a simmer.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
In a separate small bowl, prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water until smooth. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering mapo tofu mixture, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Stir in 2 tablespoons of your favorite chili oil.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Carefully remove the steamed egg custard from the steamer. Pour the hot mapo tofu mixture evenly over the steamed egg custard base in the donabe.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Garnish with 1 teaspoon of toasted white sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon of fried garlic (optional), and 1 stalk of sliced spring onion. Serve immediately, optionally with rice.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Jiggly Mapo Tofu (or Japanese Mapo Tofu with Chawanmushi Base)
For the Egg Custard Base
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk, or soymilk
- 1 cup dashi stock
- 1 gram salt, a pinch
For the Mapo Tofu
- 1/3 cup neutral oil
- 3 dried Thai red chillies
- 1 tablespoon sichuan peppercorns
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, piece, minced
- 150 grams ground beef
- 1 tablespoon doubanjiang
- 3/4 cup dashi stock
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chili oil, your favorite
For the Garnishes
- 1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon fried garlic, optional
- 1 stalk spring onion, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Crack 3 eggs into a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of milk (or soymilk) and 1 cup of dashi stock. Add 1 gram (a pinch of) salt. Whisk the mixture until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Pour the egg mixture into a donabe or a heatproof bowl. Cover the donabe/bowl tightly with aluminum foil. Place the covered donabe/bowl into a larger pot with water, ensuring the water does not go over the top of the donabe/bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Steam for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your donabe, until the egg custard is set and jiggly.
⏱️ 25 min - 4
While the egg custard is steaming, heat 1/3 cup of neutral oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the 6 cloves of minced garlic and 1-inch piece of minced ginger to the pan and fry until fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
In a small food processor, add the 3 dried Thai red chillies (cut into smaller pieces using scissors) and 1 tablespoon of sichuan peppercorns. Blend until finely chopped.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Add the blended chillies and sichuan peppercorns to the pan with the garlic and ginger. Stir to combine and cook briefly.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Add 1 tablespoon of doubanjiang to the pan and mix it into the aromatics. Add 150 grams of ground beef to the pan. Break up the beef and cook until it is browned.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Pour 3/4 cup of dashi stock into the pan. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the mixture. Bring to a simmer.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
In a separate small bowl, prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water until smooth. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering mapo tofu mixture, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Stir in 2 tablespoons of your favorite chili oil.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Carefully remove the steamed egg custard from the steamer. Pour the hot mapo tofu mixture evenly over the steamed egg custard base in the donabe.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Garnish with 1 teaspoon of toasted white sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon of fried garlic (optional), and 1 stalk of sliced spring onion. Serve immediately, optionally with rice.
⏱️ 2 min