忙陇聥?/span> Chinese Snack Lab

Mapo Tofu Spice Builder

Sichuan peppercorn-to-chili ratio with a numbing meter, doubanjiang depth, and tofu texture. Calibrated for both authentic Chengdu and adapted home versions.

'@ js=@' const STYLE = { chengdu: { pcp:1.5, dou:30, chi:8, num:'Strong (忙楼鹿?茅聢庐?忙聺聢?', note:'You should feel numbness within 10 seconds of first bite.' }, home: { pcp:0.7, dou:25, chi:5, num:'Moderate', note:'Edible for most Western palates without wincing.' }, japan: { pcp:0.2, dou:10, chi:1, num:'Trace', note:'Adapted version popular outside Sichuan 茅聢楼?closer to pasta sauce.' } }; const TOFU = { silken: { g:400, treat:'Add at the end, do not stir. Silken tofu falls apart if pushed.', cut:'Cut into 2 cm cubes in the tub; slide in.' }, med: { g:400, treat:'Pre-blanch in salted water for 2 minutes. Holds shape during stir-fry.', cut:'2 cm cubes.' }, firm: { g:350, treat:'Press 30 minutes first. Texture becomes chewy, closer to thick pasta.', cut:'1.5 cm cubes.' } }; const MEAT = { pork: { g:80, note:'80% lean is the Sichuan standard. Fat renders into the sauce.' }, beef: { g:80, note:'Use 85% lean. Rougher texture than pork but acceptable.' }, veg: { g:120, note:'Finely chopped shiitake + a little TVP. Mushrooms need extra 5 min cook time.' } }; function render(){ const s = STYLE[style.value], t = TOFU[tofu.value], m = MEAT[meat.value]; const sv = +srv.value; const pcpG = (s.pcp * sv).toFixed(1); const douG = s.dou * sv; const chiG = s.chi * sv; const meatG = m.g * sv; const tofuG = t.g * sv; toolOut.innerHTML = `
Sichuan peppercorn (g)
${pcpG}
Toast 1 min, then grind. ${s.num}
Doubanjiang (g)
${douG}
Pixian (茅聳庐卯聜垄氓鹿聶) is the gold standard.
Chili flakes (g)
${chiG}
Erjingtiao for color, or Korean gochugaru in a pinch.

Meat: ${meatG} g 茅聢楼?${m.note}

Tofu: ${tofuG} g 茅聢楼?${t.treat} ${t.cut}

Note on style: ${s.note}

Other essentials (per serving): 1 tbsp fermented black beans (douchi), 1 tsp grated ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1 scallion white, 100 ml stock or water, 1 tsp cornstarch slurry.

Order matters. Doubanjiang first in oil 茅聢芦?meat 茅聢芦?douchi 茅聢芦?aromatics 茅聢芦?stock 茅聢芦?tofu 茅聢芦?simmer 4 min 茅聢芦?slurry 茅聢芦?peppercorn off-heat. Adding peppercorn early kills the aroma.

`; } const style=document.getElementById('style'), tofu=document.getElementById('tofu'), srv=document.getElementById('srv'), meat=document.getElementById('meat'), toolOut=document.getElementById('tool-out'); document.getElementById('go').onclick=render; [style,tofu,srv,meat].forEach(el=>el.oninput=render); render();
Advertisement slot 茅聢楼?clearly labelled, never disguised as content.

How to use this tool

Pick your style, tofu firmness, serving count, and protein. The card shows peppercorn, doubanjiang, and chili flakes in grams, plus how to handle the tofu.

What this solves 茅聢楼?and what it doesn't

Mapo tofu has a fixed visual identity 茅聢楼?red oil, white tofu, green scallion 茅聢楼?but the spice level varies 5猫聞鲁 between Chengdu street stalls, adapted home versions, and Japan-style "mabo" boxes. Most recipes ignore this and produce a dish that is either numbing to the point of pain or barely Sichuan.

Who this is for

Anyone making mapo tofu for the first time and confused by conflicting peppercorn amounts. People who ate mapo in Chengdu and want to reproduce it. Vegetarians trying to keep the dish's identity without the pork.

How to read the result

Doubanjiang is fermented broad bean paste. Pixian (茅聳庐卯聜垄氓鹿聶) brand is the reference; substitute with Korean doenjang only if you understand the flavor will shift toward soy. Sichuan peppercorn must be toasted before grinding or it tastes dusty.

Honest limitations

Tofu texture is partly about the brand. Japanese silken is softer than Chinese silken. Numbers assume Chinese tofu at an Asian grocer.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What are the common mistakes when using Mapo Tofu Spice Builder?
Most common mistakes come down to four habits: entering 20 when the field expects 0.2 because the field is a percentage; leaving a field blank and accepting the default without checking what it stands for; changing one input and reading a result that was calculated before the change; and quoting the output as an exact figure when the page describes it as a reference estimate. Press calculate again after any edit, and treat the number as a reference point rather than a final answer.
How do I read the result from Mapo Tofu Spice Builder?
Read the final figure first, then come back to this section for the conditions behind it: Doubanjiang is fermented broad bean paste. Pixian (茅聳庐卯聜垄氓鹿聶) brand is the reference; substitute with Korean doenjang only if you understand the flavor will shift toward soy. Sichuan peppercorn must be toasted before grinding or it tastes dusty. Keep two things apart: the number itself, which comes from the values you typed, and the assumptions it depends on, which decide whether that number is meaningful. The page sets out what a higher or lower result means for your case, so check that direction as well as the magnitude.
Can I act on the Mapo Tofu Spice Builder result directly?
Treat it as one reference sheet before you decide, rather than as the answer itself: Tofu texture is partly about the brand. Japanese silken is softer than Chinese silken. Numbers assume Chinese tofu at an Asian grocer. The output describes a magnitude under the conditions you entered. It does not include what it actually costs to act, what might change while you act, or how the other side behaves. Before you commit, compare the result against reality and note which assumptions do not hold where you are.
What inputs does Mapo Tofu Spice Builder need?
Mapo Tofu Spice Builder takes 3 inputs: Style Authentic Chengdu Adapted home (less numbing) Japan-style (mild)、Servings、Meat? Ground pork (classic) Ground beef Vegetarian (mushroom). They are listed in the order they feed the calculation, so an earlier value can change a later one. Do not skip a field you do not recognise - work out what it means first, because a silently guessed value produces a number that looks reasonable and is not. Before typing anything, make sure every figure uses the same unit and the same time period.

Why is my mapo bitter? Peppercorn was added too early and burned, or doubanjiang was cooked past smoking.

Vegetarian version OK? Yes. Use mushroom + a touch of smoked paprika if you miss the meat savoriness.

Why no chili oil? Chili oil is for serving, not cooking. Add a tablespoon on top when plating.

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