High-Protein Mapo Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef (about 450g)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 3 garlic (cloves, minced)
• 1 tbsp ginger (freshly minced)
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1.5 tbsp doubanjiang (spicy broad bean paste)
• 1 tsp soy sauce (use sparingly)
• 1 tsp Chinese peppercorns (Sichuan peppercorns, crushed)
• 1 tsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tbsp water for slurry)
• 16 oz soft tofu (cut into cubes; silken tofu can be substituted)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the 93% lean ground beef in a pan over medium-high heat. No oil is needed as the fat will render out. Season the meat with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Break the beef up with a spatula and cook until it is thoroughly browned.

3. 3

   Add the minced garlic, ginger, and chopped green onions to the pan. Cook until the aromatics are fragrant.

4. 4

   Pour in a splash of Chinese cooking wine and let it simmer until reduced.

5. 5

   Add the oyster sauce, doubanjiang, and a small amount of soy sauce. Mix everything together until the beef is well coated.

6. 6

   Sprinkle in the Chinese peppercorns to provide the signature numbing heat.

7. 7

   Pour in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and stir. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens.

8. 8

   Gently fold in the cubed tofu. Let it simmer briefly so it absorbs the flavors of the sauce without breaking apart.

Notes

The author recommends serving this over a bed of rice (not included in the macro count). While the author used silken tofu in the video due to availability, the nutritional information is based on soft tofu. Using 93% lean ground beef ensures a high protein-to-fat ratio.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• high-protein
• Asian
• Chinese
• dinner
• easy
• comfort food