Ma Po tofu

Lao-fan-gu da-ye’s version
Er-ba’s adaption includes chilli oil from two types of chilli powder (in lieu of the chilli powder in this version, also adding in later) + add fried churro as vase for serving

用料  

Ma Po tofu的做法  

1. Prep: roast some pepper corn on low heat, then grind them freshly for use

2. Prep: mince smoked sausage and 1/4 onion; mince dou-ban

3. Sauté minced smoke sausage; add in dou-ban and sauté till they are kinda crispy.
   
   Add in minced onion and ginger, sauté till fragrant
   
   Add chili pepper powder and some ground chilli pepper flakes.
   
   Add mirin or shao-xing
   
   Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and some water. If used shao-xing, add some sugar. If used mirin, that’s it for the sauce base

4. Add tofu to mix well gently. Tofu (esp soft tofu) could be blanched in water with salt beforehand if you want perfection
   

5. Add in the ground pepper corn powder

6. Simmer for a while
   
   Could add something absorbing like churro or vermicelli to simmer with tofu

7. Optional: add in starch water thrice. If not that much broth left, you could skip this step. Play it by the ear!