I've been illin' and wishin' for some spicy soup to quell my stuffiness,
but it's late and there isn't much in the way of yummy delivery options around midnight,
sooooo I made this ma-po tofu with my sister's dinner in mind
and it turned into quite a tasty delight.
Midnight Mapo is all about making do with what is available at home when you don't wanna go out.
My foundational ingredients for ma-po are typically:
Silken and firm tofu for varied texture
garlic
(usually ginger)
leeks
chili bean oil
a splash of soy
a can of chicken stock
sesame oil
oyster sauce
pepper (black and szechuan)
corn starch
I like cooking at home because doing so makes it possible to add
whatever ingredients suit your fancy and flavor in the moment.
Fortune had it that I had shiitakes, bok choy, and filet of sole on hand
so I made a merry medley and it worked wonderfully well together,
although you should probably know that I sauteed the shiitakes separately
and blanched the bok choy before it went into the sauce.
Happy Eating!
