The Wok: My Mom's Mapo Tofu | Kenji's Cooking Show

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Get my books (including The Food Lab and my new book, The Wok) here: www.kenjilopezalt.com
This recipe is from my new book, The Wok: Recipes and Techniques. It's probably the simplest recipe in the book and one I make regularly. I never measure anything, I just eyeball it, though if you want exact measurements, you can buy my book. Or just follow along.
I use Mori-Nu brand firm silken tofu typically because it's widely available and comes in tetrapaks that last forever.

[@davidbai8411]

Can't wait to make my version of Kenji's version of his mom's version of the Japanese version of the Szechuan dish!

[@tombrakey6022]

What a mouth full

[@tigeristtora2033]

Made it, loved it, and I'll definitely make it again!

[@flowerheit4512]

"tofu is not a meat substitute it's an ingredient on its own and it's a delicious ingredient" THANK YOU, i keep trying to explain to people that tofu tastes amazing when you treat it like tofu, but it will never be it's best if you treat it like it's meat

[@twoduckallday9094]

Yes!

[@slllloraxxx]

Yup. My favorite tofu dish is pork dubu kimchi, especially when the fatty meat and kimchi perfectly balances the tofu.

[@danm8004]

@@slllloraxxx is that actually the name of a dish? From the ingredients you listed I'm picturing a sundubu jjigae or something similar

[@slllloraxxx]

@@danm8004 yeah just "dubukimchi". It's not a soup of any kind (like jjigae/tang) just stir fried kimchi and pork served with warm tofu on the side. Its traditionally a dish served at drinking establishments, especially those that serve makgeolli, so maybe that explains the positive connotations I have with the dish 😂

[@danm8004]

@@slllloraxxx okay, I'm here for it. That sounds next level. Sign me up

[@jordanschmitt9412]

kenji doing the same thing with green onions that aren't quite fresh that I do is very validating.

[@violetviolet888]

Jordan: common sense, just be sure to freeze them to flavor broth or compost the scraps so the organic matter feeds soil microbes.

[@FupaDoncic]

If you throw them away just cause they’re a little slimey your wasteful

[@ClearlyPixelated]

I love that you cook this in real time in a real house. Makes it very relatable and approachable!

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

The multicoloured nailpolish also makes it real :)

[@McBazinga]

Hearing 'orthogonal' in a cooking video has made my day! Kenji, you're the best.

[@dsyy90210]

lmao same

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Although it would be more accurate to say that silken/cotton is a discrete value, since there's not really an in-between.

[@nikilragav]

Absolutely agreed

[@nikilragav]

@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 still linearly independent, therefore orthogonal

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

@@nikilragav I meant to refer to how Kenji said there were two "progressions," which isn't really a math term but made it sound like he was referring to continuous axes.

[@CL-vx9dr]

You have no idea how much you've expanded my recipe book. I worked in kitchens for years, so I'm comfortable in the kitchen, but I felt like I was making the same few things over and over again. This channel has completed changed the way my family and I eat. I sincerely thank you.

[@CL-vx9dr]

@@mseyers And I love how many dishes from all over the world he uses. I worked in French kitchens, so my cooking was pretty limited to that specific cuisine, but I find myself cooking waaaaay more Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Italian food etc. all because this channel has opened my eyes. Gives me a huge amount of respect for those food cultures as well!

[@basti4865]

You have to get his book "the food lab"! It has to be the best cookbook out there

[@sydneemiller6091]

Same here, Kenji turns simpleness into delicious

[@tjhoz4]

Wow until watching this video, I had no idea silken tofu was a different TYPE of tofu, and not just one end of the softness spectrum! Thanks for your awesome videos, and for always dropping random culinary knowledge!

[@dsyy90210]

yeah me too.

[@JoeRiordan]

I love the clean up crew inspecting to see if anything has fallen. Just like my home.

[@JamesBlake3]

In our house we also had the "family factory" making gyoza once a month and then freezing it. We also used the left over gyoza filling for mapo tofu. You even use the taberu rayu exactly like my childhood! Now I am craving some mapo tofu, gyoza, and some Calpis!

[@joekim3757]

in the korean version, we throw in gochujang and make it spicy. adds such a nice depth to it. but love me some mapo tofu. didn't realize there was a japanese version

[@araminrain]

I got your new book as a birthday present from my boyfriend last month! I LOVE IT. I gifted him The Food Lab for his birthday many years ago. Last night I made your fried pork belly from the book. Simple as shit and amazing. The skin was shatteringly crunchy which I loved (I also used a thinner, fat-heavy piece so that may have contributed to that). Cooking has been helping me get through this rather tragic week.

[@deadfr0g]

Couples that cook together… book together?

[@billyf9088]

I love that you cook whatever you want! I found your channel a couple years ago and there’s very few videos which I haven’t seen from you and the depth of knowledge you have about food is astonishing to me, amazing chef !

[@criticaljohnson]

Did Kenji really just use 'orthogonal' in a cooking video? I love this man

[@brettchristensen6734]

Thanks Kenji. Really enjoying the book so far. The videos are great companions to the recipes and techniques from the book and are appreciated.

[@theflyingcrud]

Amazing as always! You've given me so much more confidence to experiment with different cooking techniques, I even am coming up with my own recipes recently because of how you've explained the thought process behind cooking. Forever in your debt man!

[@ryonmerrick3112]

Have missed these! Thanks Kenji, this recipe looks delicious.

[@melissesilhan2208]

I enjoyed making this 'with you' Kenji in your cooking class earlier this year. It's become a family favorite! Thanks again for everything you do and share. ❤🙏🏼

[@heylisten7266]

I love this dish! I do something similar (edit: maybe not so similar) except I also add Sichuan peppercorns and chili flakes to my spices, as well as dashi to my sauce. Im usually too lazy to buy meat for the dish. And haha when I'm too lazy to even cook it all, for meal prep, I just dump the cubed tofu to my Tupperware and pour the sauce over it and stir a bit. Probably one of the fastest meals to prep, comes together in like 5-10 minutes

[@ianday465]

I have a resealable package of impossible burgers in the pre-made patties hanging out in the freezer. They're just the right amount of "meat" flavor and super easy to just pull one out and pop the rest back in the freezer. I guess you could do the same with frozen ground beef patties. We don't eat enough ground beef to justify buying it at the supermarket or anything.

[@janmeppe]

Love how real your videos are! Like something you would cook for your family for dinner!

[@MrMits92]

Kenji, thank you so much for your videos ! you and your videos really saved me during summer 2020 lockdown, it was like a ritual every morning for several weeks to watch you cooking 😃 i also learned a lot. Every now and then I am trying to do something you taught me. Keep it up !

[@vladmusiclover]

I recently bought both of Kenji’s books. MY GOD. He’s the 🐐

[@cellobarney]

This video convinced me that I need a dozen little nesting metal bowls. Me: Thaaaat’s it. THAT’S why I don’t cook exactly like Kenji. 🧠😀

[@ReptilianLepton]

Seriously though, no matter what bowls or containers you use, mise en place makes everything else easier and less stressful.

[@bigbird2451]

I hit the local thrift store frequently and snatch up any stainless bowls that I see. I now have enough and it's becoming a problem.

[@markpfeffer7487]

I saw those and literally gasped.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

The secret to all his powers.

[@clysher]

My local has this on the menu so I tried it. It's great, definitely a new favorite. Mine was a sichuan version, tons of chilis and peppercorns, and wonderful.

[@jmaladroit]

this has gone into my regular dinner rotation, it's so delicious!!!

[@europop2005]

Have I never noticed that doormat in front of the sink before?! That is phenomenal. Love.

[@howtoreviewanything2615]

I really enjoyed making this dish I literally did as your mom did by using leftovers and it came out super great and easy to make!

[@kateregier7713]

Thank you kenji!! Best channel on KZbin!

[@mythicgriffon]

Thanks for this recipe! Mapo Tofu is something I just discovered this year, and it's one of my favorite dishes of all time!!

[@crisc9280]

I like this guy. Simple down to earth cooking. Worth subscribing to.

[@Sunny_Tang]

thanks for sharing one of your childhood favs! Also, i know it makes no difference, but I really like the mashing technique used in korean sundubu for tofu instead of cubing it. it's like the difference between eating sandwiches cut diagonally vs vertically down the center

[@SandraudigaVali]

takes me back to when i first had mapo tofu. life changing experience tbh and really helped me get more into tofu

[@tinibari456]

i appreciate that, even if this works as an ad for your cookbook, you still give out recipes 'for free,' the same way you've been doing since quarantine started.

[@Olygrom]

This was great! I was introduced to Mapo Dofu when living in Japan and it's one of my go-to dinners since it's so quick to prep and always have tofu/aburage tofu or frozen eggplant to hand. Although I always go hard with additional black vinegar and chili oil. Traffic light beef sounds wild though aha

[@jungminlee197]

gonna make this for my mom, thanks kenji

[@oicfas4523]

Mapo tofu is one of my all-time favorites. Always had it with pork, which is great. I also love when it's spicy. I learned about the numbing aspect later than the last time I've had it, so I can't remember much about that in past times I've had it.

[@yunggeve2045]

I like the side angle cam. Good stuff as always

[@Jaerb4]

My Japanese mom made this too, and it's one of my favorite comfort foods as well.

[@sbhopper8511]

Glad I learned about your channel. Visiting my folks, we just made your San Francisco style Vietnamese American garlic noodles. Excellent.

[@scrunt62]

My bday is in a couple days, but my boyfriend and I celebrated it Wedensday since yesterday I was getting a tonsillectomy. I was only expecting him to buy me a few gifts from some inexpensive things I had put on a wishlist, but a couple months ago he wrote it down when I was talking about how much I wanted The Wok and it was such a huge surprise getting it! It was the highlight!! Love that you're doing videos showcasing the recipes from the book. :)

[@xiezicong]

After watching this video, I decided to make the recipe from the book. We had this yesterday and my family was very happy.

[@metallfinn]

Dude i just want you to know that your videos and the instructions you provide bring so much happiness to my marriage. I am so grateful for the internet and having the ability to watch and learn from someone as talented as you. God Bless.

[@metallfinn]

Also, do you have somewhere I can look to see what kitchen utensils you prefer?

[@TQTQTQTQTQTQ]

Shoutout the S&B crunchy garlic. Awesome condiment.

[@3sons4fun20]

That looks divine!!! Making me so hungry!

[@analogandnot]

Made this today and topped with Crispy Chili In Oil, Lao gan Ma. This was super nice, this will definitely become a regular

[@joshmore7175]

Ma Po Tofu is one of my favourite foods, it's absolutely incredible

[@soren4261]

Made this tonight, first time making something like this. It's delicious

[@Mountainplsdo]

I made Chen Kenichis version yesterday. Beautiful recipe. Had to improvise the chili paste and fermented black beans because my fiancé has celiacs. Used gojujang and miso paste as substitutes.

[@DrZedDrZedDrZed]

Great vid. All time fav staff meal for me.

[@MrAcuta73]

I just ate a big plate of butter chicken and naan, this still made me drool. Love some mapo tofu!

[@joshualee4202]

My mom always used to make the Korean version of this dish. Interesting how it’s all just minute differences. Such a good dish.

[@mrfroopy]

Loving the book. have already cooked out of it a bit..

[@tigerlilly7070]

Hope the families doing well! Am definitely gonna need to make this recipe, always looking for a reason to cook more tofu

[@jepolch]

Mabo tofu is one of my all time favorite dishes. Thanks for showing this easy, Japanese version. I lived in Japan for years and learned to love mabo tofu (and Japanese curry). I got a recipe from a Japanese cooking program and used it for years until I started to make more traditional Sichuan mapo tofu. I'll make your version soon. Thanks! Bought The Wok!

[@harman1165]

Love how this guy makes videos to share knowledge and not just for views or anything aagh

[@crushivintage]

You can freeze whole bulbs of garlic. It lasts more than six months. Just microwave for 10-15 seconds and use it in stirfrys, stews, soups, etc...

[@lindakoehn]

Just ordered your Wok cookbook and a wok for my daughter’s birthday. I hope she’ll let me borrow them!

[@adf8664]

Your videos are wonderful.

[@sstillwell]

Okay, that's yet ANOTHER cookbook I need in my life, and I haven't even finished The Food Lab yet... This looks very yum. :)

[@jon5one7]

Looks absolutely delicious

[@jesusrivera-rojas5843]

hell yeah i’ve been wanting a mapo tofu recipe from you for a while. definitely going to try this with impossible meat. i’ve converted a lot of yours to be vegan but i would love to see you do a favorite vegan dish of yours.

[@carlosacarter]

Love this dish.

[@rhsatrhs]

You mentioned 125th St. My parents' favorite restaurant from the '50s through the early '70s was on 125th near Broadway. It was called Tien Tsin. It was also a favorite of the NY Times' critic Craig Claiborne. It was where I got my first taste of Hot & Sour Soup. It was mainly Cantonese, as most NYC Chinese restaurants were back then, so I don't know if they had Ma Po Tofu - but my parents wouldn't have been quite adventurous enough for that.

[@dreamlife2351]

Yummy ✨one of my favorite dishes too

[@MadisonFalco]

I really like seeing someone cook this way with the different cameras. I’ve seen videos of people talking about you but never been to your channel lol putting a face to the name! Sorry I’m late

[@tofu_golem]

I use doban djan + garlic-black bean paste in my mapo tofu (I'm half Japanese). I also add a small amount of each to American baked beans for a nice little Szechuan kick. I also add both to American chili. I usually marinate the ground pork in the bean pastes with soy sauce, ginger, MSG, sugar, fermented tofu. I add the chili oil at the end. I usually don't add sake + aji-mirin, but sometimes I do. This is a very good protein dish for college kids. It's a protein, so you still have to come up with a veggie dish to go with it, but it is plenty cheap, and there are tons of cheap veggie sides you could make that work with this.

[@pinkpig8091]

I lived right off 125 only a few years back..love to hear the story of your mom buying beef haha so much culture ❤

[@josefreitas753]

Mapo Tofu is definitely my alltime favorite dish, and I love all the versions of it, though I prefer the classical spicy and numbing version. There is a great version which uses eggplant diced into largish cubes like tofu, which is fried before being added to the meat and aromatics instead of tofu. All hail Mapo Tofu!

[@hershelroswell]

ooh that sounds really good!! i love eggplant when it's cooked in that sort of style :>

[@josefreitas753]

@@hershelroswell if you know how to do Mapo Tofu you can see how to do it easily here, even though it's in Japanese, you'll get the idea and it's easy to improvise from here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p33OgWewp8ycias

[@d.jeffdionne]

"...a great version which uses eggplant..." That is called Mapo Nasu, if it helps you find recipes. It's under appreciated, one of Japan's cheap lunchtime treasures.

[@josefreitas753]

@@d.jeffdionne Thanks!!

[@josefreitas753]

@@d.jeffdionne Aaaahh! Oh My God. I had no idea this was a thing, I thought it was just some random variation on Mapo Tofu that this restaurant was making!! I've watched like 5 videos of Mapo Nasu, and I owe you a big thanks!!!!

[@scottyplug]

I heard you on NPR yesterday morning making this in an interview!

[@jacquelyngrobe2575]

Making this soon! Thanks!

[@oneheadlig]

He's back!

[@MrShroombot]

I love making mapo tofu. I use the ingredients that I can find at the asian market and it's always very delicious. I would like to make the very traditional versions.

[@crushivintage]

Yes! Mapo Dofu! Green onions/Scallions can be frozen and last at least six months.

[@AYoungdude]

I find that a bit of sesame oil and raiyuu really reminds me of the instant spice mix you can get in Japan.

[@bierbrauer11]

Just had mapo-tofu for lunch that my Japanese wife (from Tokyo) made. Edit: she only uses ground pork for some reason) Thanks for the demo you did at my company event, it was awesome! I look forward to me making this version!!

[@jonathansacci2325]

Been wanting to make mapo tofu, but haven’t been able to get to the Asian market for some of the ingredients. I have all of this on hand, so thanks for a different version!!!

[@sendoh7x]

The taste would be very different without sichuan spices though

[@danielhu6485]

first beef then onion, garlic, ginger then sake and mirin and soy sauce (tablespoons of each) tofu and corn starch slurry relatively soon after (can add chicken stock or dobanjang now if want)

[@xervoo6419]

I haven’t gotten to eat Mapo Tofu for six months due to a lack of ingredients during an exchange term. Wish I’d run into this version earlier since I have all of these!

[@ploog1206]

He bacc

[@MrRKWRIGHT]

Looks Delicous!!!! One of my best recipes was handed down by my grandfather from Ohio who was part of a traveling band of clowns which toured the country in the 1930s and 40s. Not only did he fully participate as a performer (juggling and spraying seltzer mostly) but he was also in charge of the Clown Chuckwagon, and over the years, came up with a nice selection of mostly campfire stews (or "or stewge" as Gramps used to call them),, soups and casseroles. One of my favorites, casseroles, which I still prepare frequently, consists of baked beans and wieners (for the KETO portion of the meal), macaroni and cheese. and a couple handfuls of those big orange circus peanuts - a sweet yet savory bake-up that's a hit with everyone who tries it. Gramps had one clown name for performing with his fellow troupers at carnivals, civic events, etc., throughout the central Midwest ""Antsy Pants" - but around the campfire at breakfast or suppertime, when most of these talented vagabond buffoons had removed their make-up and hung their giant shoes in their campers, (but oddly enough not all of them) Gramps was affectionately known among the boys as "Yummo." He told me how it wasn't unusual for farmers to donate a hen or two and maybe a couple of dozen eggs, in return for a brief barnyard slapstick performance by a couple of the boys for the farmer, his family and his hired hands.. He also told me as soon as he got back to camp with the chickens, the alcoholic Geek who traveled with them would inevitably beg permission to bite the heads of the pullets when Gramps was ready to get those birds cooking. Seemed that this particular Geek actually not only savored the taste of the live chickens he was required to eat (which were usually provided by the promoter of the event at which the troupe was performing) - but craved more when "off=the-clock" Talk about a Carnivore diet!! Wow!!! Reportedly, he was known to comment that "live chicken pairs well with a pint of Carstairs White Seal Blended." By the way, Grandma also traveled with Gramps. She was the seamstress - making a good number of the clown suits from her own design and repairing all them when required. So of course Gram and Gran rolled along from town- to -town with a big foot pump operated sewing machine in their trailer, - in addition to all the pots, pants, cutlery, stirrers, etc. My Dad was born in a campground in Posey County, Indiana, delivered by a local midwife and plopped into a casserole baking dish as soon as Gramps cut the umbilical cord with his second best onion chopping knife. As for me, I married young and did well for myself in doing so. My wife is the daughter of an oiutdoor parking lot magnate in a major city in Ohio. I was dowried with three downtown lots. I've had a comfortable life pretty much doing whatever I want all day while other people collect money on my behalf while sitting down in booths, watching TV, reading (or even snoozing between customers arriving and honking the horns to wake 'em up). Consequently, for awhile, I was able to open a couple of storefront business which specialized in selling "clown suits for the whole family," including custom made if somebody wanted them - and even clown suits for the family pets. The seamstresses I hired used Gram's patterns, of course. . The stores were called "Hem and Ha!" - and with every sale, I usually threw in a copy of one of Gramps' recipes for a clown casseroles, "silly stew," "buffoon bread, "Punchinello Porridge,," or what have you. Of course, they all pair well with seltzer water. Thank you for Kenji's Cooking Show for allowing me to share!!!!

[@stropheum]

Interesting! I've never seen non-spicy mapo tofu. I just tried it for the first time yesterday in fact, and I was amazed at how much ti called for haha. Sichuan pepper powder, doubinjiang, sichuan chili oil, red chili oil. I personally love it that way

[@Timmycoo]

KJ. Kenji Lopez-Alt recreating Food Wars dishes needs to be a thing. I'm addicted to the overhead cam. Not another cooking show has a mouth cam which I find crazy lol but Stephen does what he works for him. I like that you are sharing your mom's cooking. Nothing tastes like home but family style meals

[@dakotaSOS]

I miss your videos so much!

[@jjruder]

Beautiful thank you for the information and explanation of Mayo Tofu. I will try this!. The last recipe I used was much different and honestly was disappointing.

[@kimh1462]

Would love a video on how to make chili oil please & thank you :) Maybe a few different versions because I did not know there was chili oil that is not spicy (I learn something new with each video)

[@AscendtionArc]

Thanks for this.

[@Aaronsm83]

Have you tried the NuWave Mosaic induction wok? It’s a round-bottom CS wok fitted to an induction cradle. It beats the pants off flat-bottom woks on my electric range, although obviously not gonna give you wok hei without a torch. But might want to give it a whirl!

[@akinigiri]

I love this dish. Grew up with it, a staple. My dad who is Japanese makes it for us. I should try I am also surprised to see tofu in a carton box. It's in plastic in Japan. Seems more irritating to open, but more environmentally friendly than plastic I guess!

[@kai_san_live]

Been putting off making this thinking I needed to get Sichuan peppercorns, completely forgetting that there's a mild Japanese version. Also gives me a reason to put a dent in the jar of doubanjiang that's been in my fridge for months.

[@rickclark1372]

It's almost infuriating how quickly and efficiently this is done. Or perhaps I should say shaming- this dish is at least 45 minutes of prep for me. I am anxious to try this version though, I have only had the spicy Chinese kind, this should be very different. And I do happen to have some S&B crispy garlic on hand.

[@ppppppqqqppp]

hey, don't feel like you should compare yourself to someone who's worked in multiple restaurants, you learn to cook *fast* when you do that. Home cooking doesn't teach urgency so you don't need to worry that it takes you 45 minutes.

[@jdolbeer]

Watched the video, immediately got up to make it. Took 10~ minutes start to finish. Not bad at all.

[@LessTalkMoreDelicious]

Nice! I like the J version more actually. (I also made a video using the House Foods instant packet). I wonder how 125th was like in the ‘80s? I bet a lot diff than when I lived there (and also 157th/StNick) in the ‘00s.

[@SansBalance]

Probably not a “mother dish”, but this is a great foundation dish to explore tofu. The secret: It’s really hard to made this dish bad if you have decent tofu! Once you have a feel for basic portion of soy sauce to tofu and meat you like, you can make endless variations. Can experiment with dropping Sake and mirin. Almost any ground meat can work. Want umami boost and experiment with dropping meat altogether? Play with rehydrated chopped shiitake, and try ketchup/tomato paste, instant dashi power, fish sauce, and (Singaporean?) mushroom extract. Like heat? Sweet chili sauce, Thai chili, random Mexican dried chili, and yes, even sichuan pepper corn. Seriously you can experiment once a week and not run out of variations for a couple of years.

[@shuazi8803]

This is kind of weird, but I love that you dispelled the myth of tofu as just a meat substitute. I've been eating tofu+meat dishes my whole life, and people always give me weird looks when I say I like eating tofu

[@nikilragav]

This go pro cooking view is so unique. Very jarring for the first couple minutes but so cool. This dish is actually much simpler than I expected. Do you not use Szechuan pepper(corns) for that mouth numbing effect?

[@adamaguirre9315]

Kenji- tips for cleaning and maintaining wooden boards?

[@rapdancesing]

Yeeeeeees! I luv Mapo

[@cntsingbutigtsol]

The ginger peels in soy is a great trick Im mad I never knew!

[@bbggggggggg]

125/riverside drive: my family use to live up that way/had a Chinese restaurant near by

[@Petrico94]

I realize this is far from traditional but it feels odd to make Mapo Tofu without chilies or some spicy elements besides the garlic. Very simple recipe and the only nagging part is the traditional bean paste, I often skip or substitute, but can also add more sauces or broth to it. Probably the only way I'll try tofu, with plenty of bold flavors and some ground beef on top.

[@sprenzy7936]

looks kinda green to me like miso, very fitting i myself make and love tofu, and ill tell you, it's red AF and its freaking delicious