I find it strange that so many of the people I have met say that this is a dish that is hard to make. Not only is this a dish with humble origins, but rumor has it, an old, pock-marked lady created this dish upon being surprised with a visit from a hungry traveler who liked it so much he continued on telling anyone who would listen about this magnificent dish he had had at her house. I highly doubt she had been slaving over a bubbling pot for hours before his plate hit the table.
It might have something to do with the fact that there are literally millions of versions of this – no two exactly the same. I suppose it would be the equivalent of an American claiming he knows where to find “the world’s best pancakes,” except, everybody knows that my mom makes the best pancakes. What, you mean your mom makes the best pancakes?!
There are versions that are heavy-handed with the heat. Others that will make your tongue go numb. Yet others have only the mildest hints of those ingredients. Will each bite be laden with ground meat, or will the tofu be the main attraction? Do you like ginger? Scallions or leeks? Fermented soy beans? The list goes on – I once read a recipe that called it the “Chinese version of chili con carne.” I had mixed feelings about that, but in that everybody has a version of it and that almost anything goes, the writer was definitely spot on.
This version is Noah-friendly, in that my son loves it. You can taste chilies from the broad bean paste (doubanjiang), but it is by no means what I’d call spicy. I added a teaspoon of ground Sichuan peppercorn – if you want the taste to be stronger, grind them freshly and you can even consider upping your dosage to 1 ½ teaspoons. Of course, a scant drizzle of Sichuan peppercorn oil would probably also get you there in a pinch.
This tofu dish is truly something I would use to convert even the most die-hard meat-eaters. I mean, it does have meat in it after all. The tofu (firm), in less than 30 minutes, manages to start soaking up some of the broth, which would probably seem too aggressive if you tried making this dish this with another protein. Instead, the cubes soak up just enough of your broth for the tofu to have a real flavor, but not so much that your taste buds are overwhelmed. In fact by the time you get the center, everything balances out and you are left with the perfect blend of spices.
And it’s a meal that won’t break the bank! In fact, here in China, I can make this meal at just oer .25 cents per person. Obviously, it might cost a bit more to make in the United States, but I’m betting it’s still more cost effective than a steak. 
I definitely recommend serving this dish with rice, so that you can continue to enjoy the sauce, even after the tofu is long gone. In order to make this a truly balanced meal, I like to steam a few greens and toss in a bit of garlic and sesame oil and season them with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
- 2 14 ounce blocks of firm tofu
- 4 ounces of minced pork (approximately ¾ cup)
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
- 2 tablespoons fermented bean paste (doubanjiang)
- 4-6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 ½ inch-2 inch knob of ginger
- 3 baby leeks, white part only
- 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon ground 5-spice
- Optional: 1-2 teaspoons dried, crushed chili pepper
- 3-4 cups chicken (or another kind) stock
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons water -1 tablespoon cornstarch)
- Optional: salt to taste
- Garnish:
- Chopped Green onion
- 1 tablespoon fermented soy beans
- Gently slice each block of tofu into 16 evenly sized cubes. Carefully use your knife to transfer them to a mixing bowl and place them in it. Pour cool water over the tofu and let it sit for approximately 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Take the soy beans, bean paste, and garlic and start mincing! (The bean paste has large chunks of chili skin and beans, which doesn’t really require mincing, but as long as you’re mincing, might as well get rid of them!)
- Then, set them aside.
- Peel, slice, and mince the ginger. Wash, trim, and slice the leeks. Add them to the garlic and beans. Measure out the peppercorn and spice, and optional chili pepper, adding them to the ingredients.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or peanut) to a wok and turn the burner on to medium heat. Once hot, add all of the spices and use a metal spatula to turn the ingredients and release their aroma.
- After about 30 seconds, add in the pork and coat it in the spices.
- Drain the tofu and add it to the wok, turning the heat down to medium-low.
- Then add the chicken broth, soy, and sugar. Gently stir, starting at the edges and gently scooping up the tofu and turning it over to avoid breaking it.
- Let the broth come to a simmer before lowering the heat to medium-low.
- For a 30-minute meal, let it cook for 15 minutes. If you have a little more time you can leave it for 20-25 minutes. Then, give it a quick taste and add salt if necessary.
- Add the cornstarch slurry, let it thicken to desired consistency (I like mine on the watery side, so you may want to let it thicken more than I do) and take off of the heat.
- Transfer to serving vessel and top with garnishes. When serving, make sure to spoon some of the sausage and broth over the tofu.
- This goes perfectly with steamed, white rice.
- Dig in!
