Microwave mapo tofu
Silky tofu in a spicy, garlicky chili sauce spooned over rice, the Sichuan classic made vegan and ready in about fifteen minutes.
- 15 min total
- 8 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 1
- About $2.38 a serving
- 430 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 1 servings.
- 7 oz firm tofu, half a package
- 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 cup microwave rice pouches, half an 8.8 oz pouch
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 green onion, torn into small pieces (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch ground ginger
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water
Each serving has about 430 calories, 24 g protein, 52 g carbs and 15 g fat, and costs about $2.38 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No green onions? Chives work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the tofu and cut it into small with the side of the fork.
Drain. Draining means pouring off liquid, like tipping pasta into a colander or spooning extra fat out of the pan. Pour hot grease into a can or jar, not the sink, where it hardens and clogs the pipes.
How you’ll know: Only a few drips are left, and the food isn’t sitting in a puddle.
Cube. Cubing means cutting food into chunky, even squares, usually three quarters of an inch to an inch. Same-size cubes cook at the same speed and brown on every side.
How you’ll know: Your pieces look like a handful of sugar cubes, a little bigger than diced, all close to the same size.
Food safety: Tofu is safe to eat straight from the package; cooking is only for texture and flavor.
the chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, sugar, garlic powder, ginger, cornstarch and water together in a microwave-safe bowl until no lumps are left.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Microwave 1 minute, stir, then 30 seconds more, until the sauce bubbles and .
Thicken. Thickening means cooking a sauce or soup until it’s less runny, by simmering it down or adding something like cornstarch. A thicker sauce clings to food instead of pooling on the plate.
How you’ll know: It coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape.
Timer: 1 min
Slide in the tofu and it through the sauce gently so the cubes don’t break.
Fold. Folding means mixing gently by scooping from the bottom and turning it over the top, instead of stirring hard. It keeps light mixtures airy and soft things like berries or herbs in one piece.
How you’ll know: You use slow, wide strokes and stop as soon as there are no streaks left.
Cover and microwave 2 minutes, until the tofu is hot all the way through.
Timer: 2 min
Dolly’s tip: Taste the sauce. Want more fire? Stir in another half teaspoon of chili garlic sauce.Heat the rice in its pouch as the package says, usually 90 seconds, and put half in a bowl.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Pour the mapo tofu over the rice, with the sesame oil, and scatter the green onion.
Drizzle. Drizzling means pouring a thin, slow stream over the top of something. A thin stream spreads a little flavor a long way.
How you’ll know: You see thin lines across the food, not a puddle collecting underneath.
Eat it hot, or cool it, cover it and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Food safety: Put leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat until steaming hot, 165°F.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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