There is an interesting story behind Mapo Tofu , literally translated as “Pock Mark Lady’s Tofu”. The Mapo Tofu we have here in Singapore is usually very spicy, with Szechuan chili oil used so liberally you would have thought they were free. We’re not fans of chili oil, so when eating out, we always order “Hotplate Tofu” instead– deep fried egg tofu, vegetables and cracked egg covered with non-spicy brown sauce, served on a sizzling hotplate.

So when I came across this Mapo Tofu which didn’t look too intimidating, heat-wise, I decided to have a go at it. The ingredients are basic and low cost, and the dish looks incredibly delicious over rice. My family loved it.

Makes 3-4 servings
(Adapted from Just One Cookbook with slight changes)

What I used:

1 block tofu, cut into cubes like in the picture (I used Unicurd brand “Chinese Tofu“)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
150g minced pork (you can use chicken)
2 sprigs of spring onions, cut thinly with scissors
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce (combine everything together):

2 tablespoon chili bean paste
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
Half teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water (about 65ml)

1. Heat up the oil and fry ginger and garlic til fragrant. Add the minced meat and quickly break it up with your spatula or wooden spoon.
2. When the meat is no longer pink, add in the sauce. Stir to combine.
3. Add the tofu and briefly mix. Don’t break up the tofu or touch it too much. Heat through for 1-2 minutes til you see small bubbles in the pan.
4. Turn off the heat and sprinkle spring onions before serving.

How much I spent:

$0.75 for tofu
$1.50 for minced meat
Everything else from my pantry!

Total cost per serving: $0.57

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This dish can be served straight over rice in a large bowl, along with a simple clear soup. It is so easy to make, I’m sure I’ll see it more often during dinner, especially on days when I’m not too creative or just plain lazy!

The post Mapo Tofu with mild spicy bean paste appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

This dish usually involves steaming the tofu and mushroom for 5-10 minutes but because I am not going to wash my Tefal plastic 3-tiered steamer just for one tofu dish, I microwaved the tofu instead to heat it up. I know right, super lazy but very fast and still delicious!

Makes 2 servings

What I used:

1 block tofu (I used Fortune Silken Tofu with Omega 3)
3 dried chinese mushrooms (stems removed), soaked and sliced
A handful of parsley
Spring onions, sectioned
1 red chillies, sliced
3 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon tau cheo (chili bean sauce, sometimes also called hot bean paste or spicy bean sauce)
Mix the following seasonings together:
1 teaspoon hua diao jiu (chinese cooking wine)
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
8 tablespoons water or chicken stock
A dash of pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon corn flour

1. Heat up your pan, add the oil then fry shallots and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to brown them.
2. Add in the mushrooms and tau cheo and fry for a few minutes.
3. Add in the combined seasonings and bring to boil. Lower the flame and cook til thickened.
4. Microwave the tofu for 1 minute and pour boiling gravy over. Top with chopped parsley, spring onions and sliced red chillies.

How much I spent:

$0.80 for tofu
$0.30 for parsley, spring onions and red chillies
Everything else from my pantry

Total cost per serving: $0.55

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Enjoy with a steaming bowl of rice for a meatless meal. You can also add in some minced meat together with the mushrooms, and double the portion of gravy to spoon over blanched noodles if tofu is not your thing. This is a quick and simple recipe for a wholesome meal. Please don’t tell me you have no time to cook!

The post Ready in 5 minutes! Tofu Block in Mushroom and Tau Cheo Gravy appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.