Dinner: Ma-Po Tofu

This fiery Sichuan classic is named for the pockmarked (po) wife (ma) who supposedly invented it at her husband's restaurant. I've made a version of it for years. At the culinary schools I attended in Chengdu recently, their technique of poaching the tofu

Ingredients

1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons hot bean paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Additive-free kosher salt to taste
1 lb regular or soft (not silken) tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons corn, peanut, or canola oil
1/2 lb ground pork shoulder (preferably 75% lean)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons Japanese sesame oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon toasted Sichuan-peppercorn powder
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion
Accompaniment: steamed rice

Instructions

Stir together broth, bean paste, soy sauce, and kosher salt. Set aside.

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