Mapo Tofu Noodles

serves

Serves 4

time

20 mins

level

Beginner

These spicy noodles are inspired by the classic dish of Mapo Tofu. Whilst traditionally made with pork mince, Beluga lentils are a great alternative, and provide a fibre-packed source of plant-based protein.

For this dish, we’ve used Doubanjiang (also labelled as Toban Djan), a savoury Chilli Bean Paste from China. This is readily available online or at Asian supermarkets. Alternatively, if you can’t find this, Korean Gochujang is available at most large supermarkets and will provide a similar flavour profile.

Ingredients

800g ready-to-cook Udon noodles

Sauce:

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
4 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Crushed)
3 tbsp Chilli Bean Paste (Doubanjiang)
250g Merchant Gourmet Beluga Lentils
6-8 tbsp Black Bean Chilli Oil
3 tbsp Rice Vinegar
500g Medium Tofu (Cubed)
2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
Salt

Garnish:

4 spring onion
Sichuan peppercorns (optional)

Instructions

In a large sauce pan, heat your oil over medium, and add in the garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add in your chilli bean paste. For a milder dish, reduce the amount from 3 to 2 tbsp.
Stir in your lentils, and add the vinegar, making sure to deglaze anything that may have stuck to the pan. Follow this with your sugar, black bean chilli oil and the cubes of tofu. Gently stir to combine everything and turn down the heat. If the mixture looks dry, add a splash of water or vegetable stock. Allow everything to simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil a kettle, and add your noodles to a heatproof bowl. Cover with the boiling water
and allow to soften whilst you finish prepping the dish. Gently separate the noodles, and drain well before using.
Season the Mapo mixture well with salt. Begin with a tsp, and adjust to taste. You may need more or less depending on the amount of chilli bean paste you use.
Add your drained noodles in to the Mapo mix, and toss until combined. Divide between 4 bowls, and spoon over any remaining sauce.
Finish the dish with a scattering of spring onions for freshness. Optionally, add a sprinkle of freshly toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns for a more authentic finish.