Tuna mapo tofu recipe: A quick and easy twist on the classic Chinese dish

Tuna pairs so well with the flavours in Josh Niland’s take on a Sichuan classic that you won’t miss the traditional version, says Ella Walker

Spicy, rich and creamy: the perfect combination for a weeknight warmer (PA)

Mapo tofu is one of my favourite dishes,” says chef Josh Niland. “The spicy sichuan ingredients mixed with the minerality and richness of the tuna and the creaminess of the tofu is such a good match. I promise you won’t miss the traditional recipe once you’ve tried this version.”

Tuna mapo tofu

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

190g fresh ginger, peeled

190g garlic cloves, peeled

10 French shallots, peeled

375g doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste)

300ml grapeseed oil

80ml shaoxing rice wine

50g caster (superfine) sugar

125ml tamari

1 tbsp sesame oil

1.8kg minced/ground tuna

200g silken tofu, cut into small cubes

1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced

40g toasted sesame seeds

1 dried red chilli, finely sliced (optional)

Steamed short-grain rice, to serve

Method:

1. Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then use a mortar and pestle to grind to a rough powder. Set aside.

2. Place the ginger, garlic, shallots, doubanjiang and 150ml of the grapeseed oil in a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste.

3. Heat 100ml of the remaining grapeseed oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a high heat. Add the paste and fry, stirring occasionally, for eight to 10 minutes until dried and fragrant, then reduce the heat and simmer for a further 15 minutes, until the rawness from the vegetables has been completely cooked out. Stir in the shaoxing wine, sugar, tamari and one-third of the ground Sichuan peppercorns, then spoon the mixture into a large bowl.

4. Wipe out the pan, add the sesame oil and remaining two-and-a-half tablespoons of grapeseed oil and heat over a high heat. Working in two batches, add the tuna mince to the pan and fry for two minutes, or until the mince is coloured and has separated into individual strands, then stir through the fried paste mixture to combine.

5. To assemble the mapo tofu, return the tuna mixture to the saucepan and warm through over a low heat. Add the tofu, cover with a lid and heat for three minutes, then spoon into serving bowls. Top with the spring onion, sesame seeds, chilli, if using, and the remaining ground Sichuan peppercorns.

6. Serve with steamed rice, if you like.

Recipe extracted from ‘Take One Fish: The New School Of Scale-to-Tail Cooking And Eating’ by Josh Niland (Hardie Grant, £26; photography by Rob Palmer).