Mapo Tofu

SIMPLE MENU FOR 10 and 30 PEOPLE

“Mapa Tofu”

	Main Dish	Salad	Side	Soup	Sauce
Menu (Estimate for 10 and 30 people)	Mapa Tofu	N/A	Green Beans	N/A	N/A

SHOPPING LIST for Mapa Tofu

Items	Store	1 order has	Quantity for 30 people	Quantity for 10 people	Notes
Lean ground pork	Asian Market		1.5 pounds	0.5 pounds
Ginger powder	Safeway		1/2 small bottle	1/6 small bottle
Chicken Broth (large can)	Costco		3 cans	1 can	40 cans for 40 servings was too much. Try to find "SWANSON" brand (or other American brand)
Corn starch	Asian Market		< 3/4 box	¼ box
- pulmulone brand "chigae yong" tofu ("soft tofu" - but it's firm) - OR other brand (FIRM tofu)	Asian Market		8.5 boxes	3 boxes	Estimate 3.5 persons/box
Oyster Flavored Sauce	Asian Market		1.5 bottles	0.5 bottle	2 bottles was too much for 40 servings
Ground Fresh Chili Paste (Sambal Oelek brand) - 18-19 OZ. jar OR Lee Keum Kee's Chili Garlic Sauce - 13 OZ.	Asian Market		1 bottle	1/3 bottle	I prefer the fresh chili paste
Green onions	Asian Market		1.5 bundles	0.5 bundles
Fresh garlic	Asian Market		10.5 cloves	3.5 cloves	Buy already-peeled ones, in package

SHOPPING LIST for Green Beans

Items	Store	1 order has	Quantity for 30 people	Quantity for 10 people	Notes
French green beans	Trader Joes or Costco		5 from Trader Joes	2 from Trader Joes	1 bag from Trader Joes = 6 servings. 1 bag from Costco = 12 servings
Fresh garlic	Asian Market		12 cloves	4 cloves	Buy already-peeled ones, in package
Oyster flavored sauce	Asian Market		2 bottles	1 bottle	Try Lee-Kum-Kee brand
Clear Chinese rice cooking wine	Asian Market		1 bottle	1/3 bottle	1 bag from Trader Joes = 6 servings. 1 bag from Costco = 12 servings

RECIPE for Mapa Tofu (for 30 servings)

INGREDIENTS

Garlic

Green onions

Tofu

Ground pork

Salt

Pepper

Ginger powder

Chicken broth

Fresh chili paste

Oyster flavored sauce

Sugar

Corn starch

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Prep Work

Stir fry the pork with 6 cloves of minced garlic, salt, pepper, & ginger powder.
Season to taste.
Drain the fat (if the meat is lean, there is not much to drain)

*Start the first batch with 2 1/2 boxes of tofu to get a feel of this dish
Use non-stick wok or non-stick pot; put on high heat
Pour 1 can of chicken broth (49.5 oz) and heat until it boils
Add 2 tablespoons of fresh chili paste
Add 2 cloves of minced garlic
Add 1/4 of the cooked pork) into the chicken broth
Add 4 oz of oyster flavored sauce (1/2 cup)
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar
Stir as it comes to boil
TASTE: based on its taste add more oyster flavored sauce or sugar or chili paste
Add corn starch mixed with water: start with 2 tablespoons of starch mixed with 4 oz of water
Keep on stirring: this is very important that it doesn't get lumpy
If it doesn't thicken enough, add another mixture of corn starch and water
When it comes to a boil, taste again. Cooking is all about tasting with your eyes and your mouth
When the sauce thickens and boils, add the drained tofu
Fold the tofu into the sauce in big strokes (meaning do not rapidly stir or the tofu will far apart)
Cook on medium heat until it is boiling and the tofu tastes piping hot. As you are cooking, keep on folding so that it doesn't stick but don't break the tofu!)
Serve the tofu with minced green onions sprinkled on the top as garnish.

*When reheating, you can microwave on the serving dish and then sprinkle the green onions right before serving.

RECIPE for Green Beans(for 30 servings)

INGREDIENTS

French green beans

Fresh garlic

Oyster flavored sauce

Clear Chinese rice cooking wine

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

*Cook 2 Trader Joe bags (or 1 Costco bag) at a time

Turn on stove and add 2 tablespoon of oil to frying pan
Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and 2 tablespoon of Chinese rice cooking wine
When the garlic is cooked, add 2 bags of Trader Joes frozen green beans (or 1 bag Costco fresh green beans)
Add 4 tablespoons of oyster sauce and sprinkle some pepper
Continue to stir until it looks fully heated; taste.
If it not seasoned enough, add more oyster sauce
It is ready to serve when it tastes piping hot

sarindut