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What is Mapo Tofu?
Mapo tofu is one of the clearest expressions of Sichuan’s layered flavor. Tender tofu sits in a sauce flavored with fermented broad bean paste, chilli and Sichuan pepper, often with a small amount of minced meat.
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Flavor profile
Spicy · Numbing · Savory
Soft tofu in a deeply savory, chilli-red sauce with the tingle of Sichuan pepper.
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Key ingredients
Soft tofu, Pixian fermented broad bean paste, Sichuan pepper, chilli, garlic, ginger, scallions and a small amount of minced meat—traditionally beef, though pork is also common.
This is a food guide, not a recipe. Ingredients and preparation vary between cooks, shops and cities.
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How it is usually made
The sauce is built by frying fermented bean paste and aromatics until fragrant, then simmering tofu gently so it absorbs flavor without breaking apart. A starch-thickened finish gives the dish its glossy coating, and ground Sichuan pepper is often added at the end.
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Origin and food culture
Mapo tofu is widely linked to Chengdu in the late Qing period and to the story of a small restaurant run by a woman nicknamed “Mapo”. The name is usually understood as “pockmarked grandmother’s tofu”, though exact details vary across tellings.
The dish is a useful doorway into Sichuan cooking because it shows how heat, fermentation, aroma and texture can be layered in one inexpensive everyday plate. It is usually shared with rice rather than eaten alone.