Japanese-Style Mapo-tofu Rice Bowl

This is a Japanese version of the famous Mapo-Tofu (Sichuanese spicy Tofu dish) made into Donburi (Japanese rice bowl dish). Instead of using Chinese fermented black bean pastes and Sichuan pepper and so on, we use Japanese Miso Ramen paste. Use of Japanese Miso adds a different dimension of flavours and depth to the dish.

-INGREDIENTS- (Serves 3-4)
3 to 4 seving bowls of rice
700g Silk tofu
150g Pork mince
1 Spring onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 tsp Dou Ban Jang (Chinese chili bean paste)
2 tbsp Miso paste for Miso Ramen (Click for the recipe)
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp Sake
1/2 tsp Ichimi Togarashi (Japanese chili power) or Regular chili powder
400~500ml Chicken stock
Katakuriko slurry (1 heap tbap potato starch + 2 tbsp water)
※You can substitute cornstarch for Katakuriko
2 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 tbsp Chilli oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
A pot of water with salt

METHOD
1. Heat a wok and add the vegetable oil. Fry the pork mince until crispy on a medium heat. Then add the garlic mince and fry on a low heat until fragrant (be careful not to burn). Add the Chilli oil, Dou Ban Jang, Miso paste, Ichimi Togarashi, Sake and fry on a low heat until the moisture is al most gone and fat renders out (Be very careful not to burn after adding the seasonings). Turn of the heat.

2. Boil a pot of water and season with salt (Should be moderately salty when you have a taste). Cut the Tofu into 2 cm cubes and simmer gently for 3 minutes in the seasoned water on medium-low heat. (This process is optional but will make the tofu even silkier and avoid the tofu from releasing water, which causes to make the sauce runny and weak.)

3. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, add the chicken stock and the sugar into the wok. Turn on the heat and bring to a boil. Turn down to a medium heat and have a taste. If the sauce is too weak add a bit more of Miso the sauce.

4. Add the simmered tofu and 3/4 of the chopped green onion to the sauce and boil for 30 seconds on a high heat. Then, turn the heat down to medium and add the Katakuriko slurry (Add it bit by bit, stirring the Mapo-tofu gently with a ladle to avoid lumps). When the sauce is thickened, add the sesame oil and turn up the heat to high. Heat the Mapo-tofu for 20 seconds to bring out all the flavours.

5. Put some rice in each serving bowl. Place the Mapo-tofu over the rice and garnish it with rest of the spring onion.