Shoutout to the guy who called my mapo tofu 'too polite'

I made it for a friend from Chengdu last month, and he just said it looked right but didn't hit right... that it was missing the 'ma la soul'. He told me to double the Sichuan peppercorns and use a full tablespoon of doubanjiang from Pixian, not the mild stuff. I tried it his way, and wow... the numbing heat is totally different now. It's not just spicy, it has that deep, buzzing flavor. Has anyone else gotten a piece of advice that completely flipped a dish for them?

3 comments

3 Comments

baker.ben27d ago

Yeah, that Pixian doubanjiang is key... but a full tablespoon can get salty fast. I usually rinse the beans a bit first.

perry.nancy27d ago

Totally get what you mean about the salt. I tried a full tablespoon once and it wrecked the whole dish. Rinsing the beans is a smart move, I'll have to try that. I usually just use a teaspoon and add a little more of the chili oil part. It's a constant battle to get that deep flavor without overdoing the salt.

the_tara27d ago

Wait, you rinse the beans from the doubanjiang? I've never even thought to do that, doesn't that wash away all the fermented flavor you're paying for?