Mapo Tofu — 麻婆豆腐
Cuisine: Chinese · Origin: Sichuan China
Mapo Tofu is a classic Sichuan dish featuring silky soft tofu cubes in a fiery, numbing sauce made with fermented bean paste, chili oil, and the distinctive Sichuan peppercorns that create a tingling sensation on the palate. Ground pork or beef is typically browned and combined with aromatics like garlic and ginger, then simmered with the tofu in a savory-spicy broth. The dish exemplifies Sichuan cuisine's bold flavor profile, balancing heat, numbing spice, and umami depth. Traditionally served in a clay pot to retain heat, it's a beloved comfort food throughout China and increasingly popular worldwide. The soft tofu contrasts beautifully with the textured meat and complex sauce, making it both visually striking and deeply satisfying.
Standard serving: ~350 kcal (1 serving (350g), estimate)
The dish's name comes from 'mapo' (麻婆), meaning 'pockmarked old woman'—legend credits a scarred woman who ran a small restaurant in 1860s Chengdu with creating this iconic dish that became a cornerstone of Sichuan cuisine.
Photo by NeoBatfreak (CC BY-SA 4.0), source.
麻婆豆腐 — 麻婆豆腐
料理：Chinese · 起源地：Sichuan China
Mapo Tofu is a classic Sichuan dish featuring silky soft tofu cubes in a fiery, numbing sauce made with fermented bean paste, chili oil, and the distinctive Sichuan peppercorns that create a tingling sensation on the palate. Ground pork or beef is typically browned and combined with aromatics like garlic and ginger, then simmered with the tofu in a savory-spicy broth. The dish exemplifies Sichuan cuisine's bold flavor profile, balancing heat, numbing spice, and umami depth. Traditionally served in a clay pot to retain heat, it's a beloved comfort food throughout China and increasingly popular worldwide. The soft tofu contrasts beautifully with the textured meat and complex sauce, making it both visually striking and deeply satisfying.
標準份量：約 350 kcal（1份（350公克），估計值）
這道菜的名稱源自「麻婆」，意思是「滿臉麻子的老婦人」——傳說一位臉上有疤痕的女性在1860年代經營成都的一家小餐館，她創造了這道標誌性菜餚，後來成為四川菜的經典代表。
圖片來源：NeoBatfreak（CC BY-SA 4.0）— 來源