Ma Po Tofu, vegan-style

[cufflink]

I've been experimenting with veganizing traditional ethnic dishes. Last night I made this version of the well-known Chinese dish Ma Po Tofu (mápó dòufu, for the purists), which came out rather well, so I thought I'd share it.

Here's the original, non-vegan recipe:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... ofu-103565

To veganize it, I substituted Morningstar Farms Vegan Grillers--hamburger-like patties--for the pork. If those aren't available, any vegan ground-beef-type product will do. And of course I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

NOTES:

1. I defrosted the patties and then chopped them up before sautéing them. Best to use a non-stick pan.

2. I didn't have the hot bean paste, but it tasted fine without it.

3. In lieu of Sichuan peppercorn powder, which would have given it a more authentic Sichuan taste (next time!), I used hot red pepper flakes, the kind you sprinkle on pizza. I toasted them a bit in the hot oil before adding the chopped-up patties. I like fiery-hot food so I must have used 1/2 to 1 teaspoon; use less if you like yours milder.

4. I must have used twice as much vegetable broth as the recipe called for, since the 1/4 cup cooked away pretty fast.

5. The kind of tofu in this dish is crucial. Do not use firm or extra-form tofu; it should be regular or soft only (although silken is too soft). That gives it the correct consistency.

6. Kosher salt isn't necessary. Regular will do.

7. The sesame oil doesn't need to be Japanese, but it should be the fragrant toasted oil used for flavoring in East Asian dishes. (That gives the dish an authentic "Chinese restaurant" flavor.)

8. Serve over your favorite kind of rice.

[brimstoneSalad]

I love me some mala tofu.
Hope you can get a hold of some Sichuan peppercorns for next time.

The bean paste would have been mostly black bean and soy sauce (to thin it out).

I would strongly recommend black beans if you can find them- even whole or chopped up work great to add depth. They add a more robust fermented note that soy sauce alone can't achieve.

Although how you cooked it sounds excellent too.

I'm surprised you used patties. Have you used TVP/TSP before? That's my go-to for things like this, and it's a lot cheaper than dealing with pre-made stuff.

[cufflink]

I love me some mala tofu.
Hope you can get a hold of some Sichuan peppercorns for next time.

Yup. I'll look for them the next time I'm close to an Asian market. I love the special "numb-hot" (má) sensation you got from that spice.

The bean paste would have been mostly black bean and soy sauce (to thin it out).
I would strongly recommend black beans if you can find them- even whole or chopped up work great to add depth. They add a more robust fermented note that soy sauce alone can't achieve.

I'll look for that too.

I'm surprised you used patties. Have you used TVP/TSP before? That's my go-to for things like this, and it's a lot cheaper than dealing with pre-made stuff.

It was just a question of what I had on hand at the time. The patties were in the freezer and I had no TVP/TSP, although I have used it before. What's your favorite brand, by the way?

[brimstoneSalad]

It was just a question of what I had on hand at the time. The patties were in the freezer and I had no TVP/TSP, although I have used it before. What's your favorite brand, by the way?

Of TVP/TSP? I don't think there's any notable differences between brands.
I just try to find it in bulk (usually, without any branding, aside from the bin# on the twist tie).