Sichuan Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Silky cubes of soft tofu simmered in a fiery, numbing pork-and-chili sauce, finished with freshly ground toasted Sichuan peppercorn and heaps of scallion. It's thickened with a whisper of xanthan gum instead of cornstarch and spooned over buttery garlic cauliflower rice, so it lands rich, saucy and genuinely low-carb.

Ingredients

• 20 oz soft or medium-firm tofu, drained
• 12 oz ground pork (80/20)
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tbsp coarse Sichuan or Korean chili flakes
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dry sherry
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 1 tbsp chili oil (sugar-free)
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

• 20 oz riced cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a bare simmer, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, slide in the tofu, and let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes while you prep everything else. This firms the cubes so they hold together. Drain gently in a colander.
2. Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 60 to 90 seconds, until fragrant and just smoking at the edges. Tip onto a plate to cool, then grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
3. Heat the avocado oil in a 12-inch skillet or wok over medium-high. Add the ground pork and cook 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until it stops releasing water and the bits start to brown and crisp.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Push the pork to one side and add the chili flakes to the pooled fat, stirring for 20 to 30 seconds until the oil turns deep red — do not let them scorch. Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites and stir 45 seconds until fragrant.
5. Pour in the dry sherry and scrape the bottom of the pan, then add the soy sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes to concentrate slightly.
6. Add the drained tofu, sliding it in gently and pushing it under the sauce with the back of a spoon rather than stirring. Simmer 5 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan, so the cubes absorb the sauce.
7. Sprinkle the xanthan gum evenly over the surface a pinch at a time while swirling the pan (do not dump it in one spot). Simmer 1 to 2 more minutes until the sauce is glossy and coats a spoon. Stir in the chili oil and sesame oil and taste for salt.
8. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a second large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic for 30 seconds, then the riced cauliflower and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until tender and any moisture has cooked off. Frozen cauliflower may need 2 to 3 minutes longer.
9. Spoon the cauliflower rice into four bowls, ladle the mapo tofu over the top, and finish each bowl with the ground toasted Sichuan peppercorn and a generous shower of scallion greens. Serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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