Mapo tofu traybake with mushrooms and pak choi
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
The beauty of this vegetarian, oven-baked version of mapo tofu is that you can adjust the spice levels in the sauce as you like. A jar of chilli bean paste is an invaluable investment for your cupboard and fridge – you’ll find yourself using it for so many dishes.
By Rukmini Iyer
Ingredients
- 300g/10½oz chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 450g/1lb firm tofu, cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1–3 heaped tsp chilli bean paste
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 pak choi, cut into eighths
- 3 spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns, bashed in a pestle and mortar
- sea salt flakes
- cooked rice, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Tip the mushrooms, tofu, garlic and ginger into a large roasting tin.
In a jug or small bowl, whisk together the chilli bean paste (use 1 teaspoon if cooking for children, more if cooking for adults) with 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Mix this dressing well through the tofu and mushrooms.
Add the pak choi to the tin and gently turn it in the dressing, then scatter over 1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes and transfer to the oven to roast for 20–30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the spring onions and put them in cold water to crisp up.
Take the tofu out of the oven, taste and adjust the salt as needed, then drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, scatter over the spring onions and Sichuan peppercorns. Serve hot with rice.
