I’m a fiend for ma po tofu. It’s easily one of my favorite Chinese dishes of all time. Actually, it’s one of my favorite dishes, period. My original version isn’t particularly authentic but is loosely adapted from one of the OGs of Chinese-American cooking, Bay Area legend Martin Yan himself.
This version, however, tastes closer to something you might find in a Sichuanese restaurant. Both are spicy, comforting, and perfect over a bowl of rice.

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/2 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 4 ounces ground beef
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons zha cai (preserved radish), minced
- 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 16-ounce package silken tofu, diced into large bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- Steamed rice, for serving
- Heat the avocado oil in a wok over high heat. When the oil is smoking hot, add the Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry for 5 seconds, until fragrant, then add the ground beef. Stir-fry and brown the beef, about 3 minutes, then add the ginger, garlic, and preserved radish to the wok.
- After about 1 minute, add the doubanjiang and Shaoxing wine and stir, then add the chicken stock; mixture should be saucy, like a ragu. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for 3 minutes. Add the tofu to the wok and gently stir to not break up the tofu pieces. After 4 minutes, add the green onions to the wok, gently mix, and serve warm with rice.