Name: Chinese Mapo Tofu
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Oil, for sauteing; 1 tbsp Black Bean Garlic Sauce; - (see notes); 1 tsp Red Chili Paste with Garlic; 1/4 lbs Ground pork; 1 pack Fresh tofu (any firmness); - cut into cubes; 1/4 cup Chopped green onions; Salt, to taste

Why it works: Garlic and onion match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 29,058 recipes. Both carry furaneol, which smells caramel, strawberry. The science ↓

Chinese Mapo Tofu

Time5-8 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare and cook the pork

In a wok or deep skillet, place oil, black bean garlic sauce, red chili paste with garlic and ground pork.
Turn the heat to high and gradually combine the sauces and meat as the heat increases.
When meat is browned and cooked through, turn the heat to medium and add cubed tofu.

Simmer and serve

Mix gently and continue to simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well blended and tofu is heated through.
Add green onion and toss.
Add salt to taste.
Serve hot accompanied with cooked white rice.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

607Calories

44 gProtein

33 gFat

34 gCarbs

Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 8 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Pork	100g cooked	242
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Black Bean	1/2 cup canned (120g) drained	114
Tofu	100g firm	76
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Chili	1 tsp (2.7g)	8
Garlic	1 clove (3g)	4
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Sauce	not in our table	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together29,058 recipes

Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Garlic + tofutop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together604 recipes

Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
Tofu + oniontop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together729 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Pork + oniontop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together18,214 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Garlic + porktop 13% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together7,169 recipes

Shared aroma: 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (roasted, nutty).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Ground pork: Provides savory meaty flavor and fat that carries the sauces through the dish.
Fresh tofu: Adds soft body and absorbs the sauce while simmering gently.
Black bean garlic sauce: Supplies salty, fermented savory depth that forms the base of the sauce.
Red chili paste with garlic: Adds heat and garlic aroma that colour and season the sauce.

The step that matters

Browning the pork before adding tofu. Browning the meat well develops savoury flavour through the Maillard reaction. Adding tofu too early, or at high heat, can break it apart and leave the meat pale and under-seasoned.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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Chinese Mapo Tofu