Mapo tofu fried rice
Scorpio season strikes again
Welcome to To Vegetables, With Love, a celebration of a vegetable life, less ordinary. ‘ Find archived recipes on my recipe index.
My book Tenderheart is available from Books are Magic, Kitchen, Arts and Letters, Book Larder, Bold Fork Books and also here or here.
It’s Scorpio season and to celebrate, all posts during the season will be free! I’m also offering 20% off all annual subscriptions. Offer ends Monday November 11, 2024. GO PAID HERE.
Scorpio season has delivered chaos, once again.
It is hard to find the words this week. I am not able to eloquently express anger or rage or disappointment as others have. In shock, I have clung to the tender kinship of friends and writers here like
and this post, and the fire of and posts like this and this.On Wednesday, I largely switched off from social media. I avoided the news as much as I could and retreated into my community. I texted friends to check in on them, to feel their presence and resilience, but also to wallow in our shared exhaustion. I received messages from friends in Australia too; I thought about moving back there (several times). I met up with an old friend and we tried to make sense of things over a cup of coffee. Then, like I did 8 years ago, I went to Chinatown, letting the sounds and bustle of the streets absorb my sorrow. Chinatown feels safe, it feels familiar, it feels like home.
I am not American. I have no vote here. And nor do I have a vote in Australia anymore. I am literally voiceless as a citizen. I rely upon others to do right by me and my family. The powerlessness is overwhelming.
Ahead, there is much unknown…but I guess there always is. For now, I offer you food and comfort. That is my power.
🦂
It is also my birthday this weekend. I should give you cake but instead, I offer you mapo tofu fried rice. It is my heartfelt gift to you all, two separate dishes I learnt from my mum, rolled into one. I hope you like it.
With comfort in mind.
Monday: spinach and chickpeas with paneer
Tuesday: Tofu and tomato egg drop soup
Wednesday: rice cakes with peanut sauce and hoisin
Thursday: 5 ingredient baked tomato pasta with harissa and halloumi
Friday: make it easy with smashed cucumbers with garlicky coriander yoghurt and chilli crisp
🥦 My cookbook, Tenderheart is for cooking vegetables, all year round. Pick up your copy here. It is also mostly vegan (or vegan-izable) and gluten-free adaptable.
Mapo tofu fried rice
© Hetty Lui McKinnon for To Vegetables, With Love.
If you wanted that tongue numbing mapo tofu effect, feel free to add ½ - 1 teaspoon of crushed Sichuan peppercorns. I didn’t use any because the chili crisp I used is a hot one and already offered that flavor.
As always, leftover cold rice works best for fried rice, with separated non-mushy grains. However, if you find yourself without cooked, cold rice for this recipe, try this: Cook 2 cups of rice and allow it to cool in the pot for 10 to 15 minutes, then spread it out onto a baking and place in the fridge, uncovered, for 1 to 2 hours to allow it to dry out and cool completely.
2 tablespoon doubanjiang, black bean paste or black bean sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
425g (16 ounces) extra firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 to 6 medium dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes (or use fresh shiitake mushrooms)
neutral oil
1 onion (any colour), finely diced
2 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small head (300g / 10 ounces) broccoli, cut into small florets
4 to 5 cups of cooked leftover rice, preferably cold from the fridge
1 cup (150g) frozen peas, thawed
2 scallions, finely sliced
sea salt and white/black pepper
chili crisp, to serve
Place the doubanjiang, black bean paste or black bean sauce and soy sauce into a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the tofu and gently toss to coat. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
If using dried shiitake mushrooms, drain them and squeeze out the water. Thinly slice the rehydrated or fresh mushrooms.
Heat a wok or large frying pan/skillet on medium high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil along with the onion and toss until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and toss until fragrant, about 20-30 seconds. Add the broccoli and mushrooms, and toss constantly to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the tofu and all the marinade sauce, and toss until the tofu is warm, about 1 minute. Add the rice and the peas and toss well until the rice and peas are warmed through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions, toss to combine, and then turn off the heat.
Taste and season with sea salt and pepper (white if you have it, but black is okay too). To serve, drizzle with chili crisp.
Io Vegetables, With Love is dedicated to vegetables and it is a joy to bring you a new recipe every week. Thank you to everyone who subscribes, especially to paid subscribers who make this work possible.
Happy birthday! It’s mine also and I am hoping it’s the same day as yours. You are such a gift!
Happy almost birthday, dear sweet Hetty. I am going to make the HELL out of this mapo tofu this week. Love you so much. <3