Japanese Mapo Tofu with Multi-Grain Rice
Do you want to make a Japanese style Mapo-Tofu with multi-grain rice? Then this is the perfect recipe for a great meal! You can pronounce it “Mapo or Mabo”, but however you do, you won’t be talking while eating. This dish is overflowing with flavor (and spice if that’s your thing), and sits in your belly like nice hot bowl of soup. The sauce has a miso-stir-fry taste, which is only made even better with the tobanjan spice. The tofu keeps the dish from being too carb-heavy, while adding a good amount of substance to the meal. Despite looking soupy, you will find yourself surprised at how hearty this dish can be. Enjoy!
Ingredients (serving size 2-3)
- 1 package of tofu
- 1 tsp Japanese chicken broth powder
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp miso
- 3 cups white rice or brown rice
- 1 tbsp multi-grain rice (optional)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- 3 cloves of raw garlic or grated garlic tube
- 1/2 inch of raw ginger or grated ginger tube
- 1/2 lb ground pork or ground chicken
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 stalks of green onion (scallions)
- 1/4 tsp tobanjan spicy miso (optional)
- 1 tbsp corn starch
Directions
- Wash the rice until the rice water becomes clear.
- Pour in the rice into a rice cooker, add water to the desired height and turn it on. We will make the Japanese Mapo Tofu while the rice is cooking.
- Drain the tofu and lightly wrap it with a paper towel.
- Mince the garlic and ginger into tiny pieces
- Chop up the green onion stalks into tiny pieces
- In a small bowl, mix the corn starch and 1 tbsp of water together
- Remove the paper towels from the tofu and chop it up into 1/2 inch cubes
- Mix the soy sauce, miso, water in a bowl
- Pour the sesame oil into a pan with garlic, ginger pieces and tobanjan spicy miso (the last one is optional). This is essentially the sauce. Turn the heat to medium low.
- Cook until the garlic and ginger pieces become aromatic
- Add in the ground pork or ground chicken to the pan and stir until they’re no longer pink
- Pour in the sauce and let it reach to a boil
- Add in the tofu cubes and let it reach to a boil again
- Turn the heat down to low and put a lid on the pan and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Mix the corn starch and water together again and pour it into the pan. Mix until well combined but be careful not to break the tofu cubes too much.
- Place the lid back on and let it simmer for another 5 minutes to get rid of the powdery texture.
- Lift the lid and taste the Japanese Mapo Tofu
FAQ
Can I use an onion instead of scallions?
It’s not recommended as the onions are a little too strong for this dish. You should use scallions because they add the bit of green for presentation, and give a hint of onion without covering up the main taste of the sauce. You can get some from your local Wholefoods market.
What type of tofu should I use?
I would recommend using silken tofu for this dish because of its smooth texture. However, some people prefer to use firm tofu, which I think will do in a pinch. Either way, make sure to drain the tofu thoroughly with a paper towel for about 5 mins before using it to cook, so that it doesn’t end up being too soggy.
What is multi-grain rice?
Multi-grain rice (specifically 8-grain rice) is a type of rice that you add to your white or brown rice to add some fiber and other nutrition to your meal. If you were to make three cups of white rice (ie Nishiki rice), then you can add about a tablespoon of multi-grain rice to your rice bowl. I have talked more about multi-grain rice in more detail here. You can buy both the white and multi-grain rice from the Amazon links below.
Do I need to get the garlic and ginger tubes?
Of course, you can use the raw garlic or ginger from your local grocery store. If that’s what you’re doing, I would recommend that you use a grater for small objects like the one from Kyocera below. Alternatively, you can use pre-grated ginger or garlic from Amazon, which can be purchased by clicking on the links below. The yellow link in the middle is for grated ginger, and the right one in pink is for grated garlic. Make sure to refrigerate them once they’re opened. Click on the shop now link below to get it for your kitchen.
Where can I get the ingredients?
You can get the raw vegetables and meats from your local grocery store. The rest of the ingredients can be purchased on Amazon. Click on the Shop Now links below to get your ingredients for this dish!
