Steps

1. Finely chop the scallions. Cut them lengthwise into quarters, then finely slice from the edge. If too coarse, lightly chop them to adjust the size.
   🕒 00:16
2. Peel the garlic, remove the sprouts, and mince. Slice thinly first, then mince.
   🕒 00:45
3. Make the flavored ground pork (Zha Jiang). Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
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4. Once the pan is warm, add 100g of Ground Pork and break it up with a spatula, ensuring it browns well. Once browned on one side, flip and brown the other side. (Key Tip!) Browning the meat thoroughly enhances its umami.
   🕒 01:30
5. Once browned, reduce the heat to low and add 1 tbsp of Doubanjiang, 1 tbsp of Sweet Bean Sauce, 1/2 tbsp of Douchi, minced garlic, and 1 tsp of Grated Ginger. Stir-fry until the aromatic fragrance of the doubanjiang is released. (Key Tip!) Stir-frying the sauces in oil first brings out their flavor and aroma. Adding douchi adds depth for an authentic restaurant taste.
   🕒 01:53
6. Add 1 tbsp of Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) and cook to evaporate the alcohol, then turn off the heat. Transfer the finished flavored ground pork to a separate dish.
   🕒 02:59
7. Cut the silken tofu into 18 bite-sized pieces on a cutting board.
   🕒 03:23
8. In a pot for boiling the tofu, add Salt to achieve a slightly strong flavor for the broth and bring to a boil.
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9. Add the cut tofu to the boiling salted water and simmer for about 3 minutes. (Key Tip!) Boiling in salted water seasons the tofu, makes it firm, prevents it from breaking apart, and enhances its flavor.
   🕒 04:00
10. Once the tofu is firm, drain it thoroughly in a colander. The tofu is now prepped.
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11. In the frying pan with the flavored ground pork, add 200cc of Water, 1 tsp of Chicken Stock Granules, and 1/2 tsp of Sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
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12. Once boiling vigorously, reduce to low heat, add the boiled tofu, and gently simmer for about 3 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors. Stir gently or shake the pan to prevent the tofu from breaking.
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13. After simmering for 3 minutes, add the chopped scallions and gently mix them into the entire dish.
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14. Once everything is mixed, turn off the heat.
    🕒 05:37
15. In a separate container, mix Potato Starch with water at a ratio of 1 part starch to 2 parts water to create a slurry. (Key Tip!) Adding the slurry after turning off the heat helps prevent lumps. If the mixture seems too thin, use a 1:2 ratio of starch to water.
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16. Add the potato starch slurry and stir until the mixture thickens to the point where the bottom of the pan is clearly visible when you move the pan.
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17. Once the desired thickness is achieved, return the pan to medium heat and bring it back to a boil to stabilize the thickening. Continue to stir gently to avoid breaking the tofu.
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18. Once heated through, the Mapo Tofu is complete.
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19. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with Sichuan Peppercorns (Hua Jiao) for finishing. For authentic Mapo Tofu, using Hua Jiao, which has a stronger spiciness and numbing sensation than Sichuan pepper, is recommended.
    🕒 07:09