Pock-Marked Mother's Tofu

This is one of my favorite tofu dishes. It is actually a lot healthier than a regular meat dish (yay! a healthy dish that doesn't make you feel guilty when you have more than two bowlfuls). A friend from eGullet.com has kindly taught me how to fix this insanely addictive dish.

To give a background on Mapo tofu. Here's what Wiki has to say: Mapo tofu is a popular Chinese dish from the Szechuan (Sichuan) province. It is a combination of tofu (bean curd) and minced meat, usually beef, in a spicy bean-based sauce. Variations using pork or with other ingredients such as water chestnuts, onions or wood ear fungus are not considered authentic recreations of the Sichuan classic. The name means "Pocked-Face Lady's Tofu," and is said to come from a (possibly fictional) food vendor by the name of Ma, who made and sold the dish. Another possible explanation stems from an alternate definition of ma, meaning "numb": the Szechuan peppercorns used in the dish can slightly numb the diner's mouth.

Mapo Tofu

One block tofu (about 1 pound, you can use firm or soft)
Four baby leeks or two leeks
1/2 cup peanut oil
6 ounces ground pork
2 1/2 Tbsp. Sichuanese chili bean paste
1 Tbsp. fermented black beans
2 tsp. ground Sichuanese chilies (only for chili fiends)
1 cup chicken stock (or water)
1 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. light soy sauce
Salt to taste
4 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 6 Tbsp. cold water
1/2 tsp. ground roasted Sichuan peppercorns

1. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Slice the leeks at a steep angle into 1 1/2-inch-long slices.

2. Season the wok, then add peanut oil and heat over a high flame until smoking. Add the ground pork and stir-fry until it is crispy and a little brown, but not yet dry.

3.Turn the heat down to medium, add the chili bean paste and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until the oil is a rich red color.

4. Add the fermented black beans and ground chilies, then stir-fry for an additional 20 to 30 seconds until both are fragrant and the chilies have added their color to the oil.

5. Pour in the stock, stir well and add tofu cubes. Mix it in gently by pushing the back of your ladle or wok scoop gently from the edges to the center of the wok — do not stir violently or the tofu may break up. Season with the sugar, a couple of teaspoons of soy sauce and salt to taste. Simmer about 5 minutes, until the bean curd has absorbed the flavors of the sauce.

6. Add the leeks or scallions and gently stir in. When they are just cooked, add the cornstarch mixture in two or three stages, mixing well, until the sauce has thickened enough to cling glossily to the meat and bean curd. Don’t add more than you need. Finally, pour everything into a deep bowl, scatter with the ground Sichuan pepper and serve.

Makes 2 to 3 servings as a main course with one vegetable dish and rice, 4 servings with three other dishes.