Vegetarian Mapo Doufu

How to Make

• Step 1: OPTIONAL: Prepare an ice bath if you want your broccoli florets to stay super green. If not, ignore.

• Step 2: Bring a small (approximately 2-quart) pot of water to boil.

• Step 3: Trim the base of the broccoli stalk of leaves then cut the crown very close to the top so as to yield super tiny florets (approximately 1/2 inch pieces), breaking them apart lightly by hand if they are clustered together. Keep separate.

• Step 4: With the remaining broccoli stalk, use a vegetable peeler and peel around the woody base to reveal a tender stalk. Discard peeled material. Roughly chop the entire stalk.

• Step 5: Trim the ends of the shiitake mushrooms, leaving most of the stems intact.

• Step 6: When the water is boiling, first cook the tiny florets (about 2-3 minute) {they should still have a little bite}. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon or strainer (saving the water to use again), shock in ice water, drain well and lay out on a kitchen towel to finish drying.

• Step 7: To the same pot, add the chopped broccoli stems and shiitake mushrooms. Cook until both are completely tender (5-7 minutes). Remove from pot (once again saving the water), shock in ice water or run under water to cool, drain, cut off the shiitake stems that remain. Chop together the shiitake caps and broccoli stems into fine pieces (minced) either by hand or by pulsing in a food processor.

• Step 8: Ladle out and set aside 1/2 cup of the remaining broccoli-shiitake broth. Turn the heat down to low on the remaining broth. Unmold and gently chop your tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and add them to the pot, allowing them to simmer gently.

• Step 9: Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and set aside. Combine the liquid aminos, Shaoxing wine, doubanjiang and set aside.

• Step 10: Have ready a heatproof bowl set with a fine mesh strainer. In a dry wok or high-sided skillet, toast 1 tablespoons of the Sichuan peppercorns, tossing constantly over medium-high heat until aromatic (about 1 minute), then remove from wok and coarsely grind. Set aside.

• Step 11: To the same wok over medium-high heat, add the peanut oil and allow to heat up. Once hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns, stirring constantly to toast in the oil until the smell permeates the air, about 1 minute. Pour oil through your strainer to strain out peppercorns. Discard strained out peppercorns.

• Step 12: Keeping the heat on medium-high, return the oil to the wok. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until aromatic and lightly golden (less than 1 minute). Add the white and light green parts of the scallions and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add the minced broccoli and shiitake mixture (reserving the florets) and cook, stirring frequently until the mixture begins to dry out (about 4-6 minutes).

• Step 13: Add the diluted cornstarch, cooking wine mixture, the reserved 1/2 cup of broth and 1/4 cup of the chile oil. Carefully drain and add the tofu gently to keep it as intact as possible, along with the reserved broccoli florets. Nestle everything together in a few gentle stirs.

• Step 14: Keep mixture cooking over medium-high heat. Stir lightly and occasionally. Cook for 3-5 minutes to bring all ingredients together, reduce the sauce, and allow the cornstarch to thicken and bind everything. Turn the heat off and let sit 1 minute for flavors to meld.

• Step 15: The surface of the mapo should be red, slick, and teeming with tofu glaciers. Add the ground Sichuan peppercorns until the limit of your spice tolerance is surpassed.

• Step 16: Serve with steamed rice, additional chile oil and green section of the scallions.