CHENGDU / FOOD
A closer look at mapo tofu
Soft tofu, layered seasoning, a Sichuan classic.
What is in the bowl?
Mapo tofu combines tofu with a seasoned sauce, commonly including fermented bean paste, fermented black beans and minced meat. Sichuan pepper and chili contribute different sensations. Versions vary, including the choice of meat.
Read beyond the name
Tofu does not make the whole dish vegetarian: meat and stock may still be present. The name is also no guarantee of a particular recipe. If ingredients matter to you, ask about the version being served.
Keep the origin in perspective
The dish is closely associated with Chengdu. Accounts commonly trace it to a nineteenth-century local restaurant, but retellings and recipes differ. Here it is an entry into a living food tradition, not a claim that every bowl should be identical.
A WORD TO KNOW
Mala
A flavor description combining numbing and spicy sensations.
Keep reading.
Sources and further context for this introduction.
