Ingredients
| Unit | Item |
|---|---|
| 2 tsp | Soy sauce |
| 1/2 lb (~227g) | Impossible beef |
| 4 tbsp | Pixian chili bean paste, minced (Doubanjiang) |
| 4 ea | Garlic, minced |
| 3 tsp | Chili flake |
| 2 cup | Water |
| 2 tsp | Chicken powder |
| 2 lbs | Medium firm tofu, cut into 3/4" cubes |
| 2 tbsp | Cornstarch, mixed with 4 tbsp water |
| 2 tsp | Ketchup |
| 3 tsp | Ground Sichuan peppercorn (or to taste) |
| 6 ea | Scallions |
Preparation
Step 1
Brown beef: Heat oil in pan over medium until shimmering. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spatula. Add soy sauce and sauteé until beef is deeply browned and crispy, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Add aromatics: Lower heat to medium-low. Add chili bean paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until bean paste is toasted and oil has turned red, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and chili flake. Cook for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant.
Step 3
Cook tofu: Raise heat to medium. Add water and chicken powder. Bring to a simmer, then add tofu. Lower heat to medium-low. From this point on, avoid stirring vigorously. Use back to spatula to gently push tofu to avoid breaking. Simmer 3-5 minutes.
Step 4
Thicken sauce: Raise heat to medium. Stir cornstarch slurry before using. Slowly add slurry in separate additions, stirring and cooking for 30s between each to allow for thickening. Stop when sauce reaches a “bolognese ragu” texture and clings to tofu.
Step 5
Finishing touches: Turn off heat. Add ketchup, ground Sichuan peppercorn, and scallions. Stir to combine, letting residual heat wilt scallions. Serve in a shallow bowl and finish with extra sprinkling of Sichuan peppercorn. Enjoy with hot rice.