HEARTY GOODNESS

MAPO RAMEN – SICHUAN SPICED TOFU NOODLES

INGREDIENTS:

(Serves four) 600g-700g firm or extra firm silken tofu; water; big pinch of salt; 2tbsp Sichuan pepper; 4 dried red Chinese chillies; 4tbsp vegetable oil; 2 anchovy fillets (optional); 1 bird’s eye chilli (or more, to taste), finely sliced; 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 15g piece of ginger root, peeled and finely shredded; 300g minced pork; 1tbsp preserved black beans; 80g doubanjiang (black bean sauce); 1½tbsp caster sugar; 500ml chicken stock; 1tbsp sesame oil; 1½tbsp cornflour, mixed to a paste with a little water; Worcestershire sauce and/or soy sauce, to taste; 4 portions thick ramen noodles.

For the garnish: Handful of coriander, torn; sesame seeds, toasted until deep golden brown; Sansho pepper.

METHOD:

1. Cut the tofu into one inch cubes and bring a pan of water to a low simmer with the salt. Carefully add the tofu and poach for 10 minutes.

2. Remove gently with a slotted spoon. Toast the Sichuan pepper and dried chillies in a dry frying pan until aromatic and beginning to colour, then leave to cool and grind to a coarse powder.

3. Add the oil to the pan and place over a high heat, then add the anchovies and the bird’s eye chilli. Fry for a minute or two, then add the garlic, ginger and pork and fry until the pork is browned. Add the black beans, doubanjiang, sugar and the ground Sichuan pepper and chillies. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often.

4. Add the chicken stock and sesame oil and bring to the boil, then stir-in some of the cornflour mixture. Let the sauce boil for a few minutes to thicken, stirring continuously; add more cornflour mix if you want it thicker (it should cling well to the noodles). Taste and adjust seasoning with soy or Worcestershire sauces. Gently stir in the tofu and shake the pan to coat it.

5. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the noodles until al dente. Drain, then put in bowls. Top with the tofu mixture and garnish with sesame seeds, coriander and sansho.