A satisfying stew with a spice that is not for the faint of heart.
Gather JournalMapo Tofu, the legendarily spicy tofu and pork dish emanating from China’s Sichuan province is the inspiration for our sinus-stimulating stew. Its tongue-numbing traces will stick around long after you’ve cleaned the bowl. A true sting operation.
serves 6 to 8
Stir together cornstarch and ½ cup broth in a small bowl. Heat peppercorns in a small skillet just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, cool, then grind or crush to a fine powder.
Heat oil in a medium pot until hot. Stir in garlic, ginger, and whites of scallions and cook stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add black beans and Sichuan pepper and cook 1 minute.
Add pork breaking it up into small pieces and cook until it’s no longer pink. Stir in both chili pastes and cook 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce, sugar, and remaining 2 cups stock then gently simmer 5 minutes. Give cornstarch mixture a stir then stir into pot and simmer 1 minute just until stew thickens. Gently stir in tofu and scallion greens and simmer until just heated through.