Mapo doufu
(痲婆豆腐, Mabo dofu, Mapo tofu, 麻婆豆腐, マーボー豆腐, Ma po tofu, Ma-po tofu)
Sichuan in origin, mapo doufu consists of tofu cubes settled in a spicy sauce containing minced meat, traditionally beef or pork, and fermented black beans known as douchi. The dish is said to have been invented in a small restaurant called Chen Xingsheng in Chengdu back in 1862, while the name of the dish comes from the lady cook who created it.
Namely, the word mapo is an abbreviation which can be translated as pockermarked grandma, referring to the woman's appearance. The numbing spiciness and hotness of the dish come from Sichuan peppercorns, chili oil, and doubanjiang, a broad bean paste, whereas additional ingredients include wine rice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, a garnish of chopped green onions, and optionally, starch, which is used as a thickener.
Once cooked, mapo doufu will have a spicy top oil layer which serves to preserve the heat of the dish. Steamed white rice is the perfect accompaniment to this dish, but mapo doufu can also be eaten on its own.
