Brett and I went to Mission Chinese on
East Broadway in New York City last January, just after it opened. I suspect they have worked out the kinks
since then because people seem to love it, but we had a terrible meal that
night.
I had heard their mapo tofu was not to be
missed. Even after a ropy lamb shank and
weird coconut cocktail that was on its way to becoming pudding, the tofu was
the biggest let down. Brett was
skeptical on pressed soy to begin with—and still is. But I had the misplaced confidence
that with enough pork and beef fat we could change all that.
Ours came so salty that it was barely
edible and laced with enough Sichuan pepper that to this day it still elicits numb
tongue jokes. For two people who will
eat pretty much anything you put in front of them, the mapo went
unfinished.
After that, I was inspired to make the
dish myself. Though it took some months
to revisit. It was enough time for Lucky Peach to publish a few recipes on
mapo—including the Mission Chinese version with a suspiciously miniscule amount
of Sichuan pepper.
I suspect their recipe is actually
quite good and the kitchen was likely still finding its groove that night. But I settled on another recipe from Han Dynasty in Philly, which ended up being incredibly delicious. It has been adapted and tailored a great
deal since then, mostly due to my low energy search for doubanjiang. And my contempt for chili oil made using
cheap soybeans. And my habit of keeping
chicken stock frozen, so it cannot lend itself to impulse or whim. And our coupled indifference towards tofu,
which I am ashamed to admit as a healthcare professional, was phased out
altogether.
Turns out, the dish is quite good solely
with beef—I often use ground veal because I can get a quasi-local source—or
pork. I may try adding back some soy in the form of edamame. But in the meantime, the recipe remains
heretically tofu free.
It still feels like a fairly wholesome
dish—and a fairly fast one to recreate, perfect for a Friday night supper. The healthy dose of aromatics in the form of
ginger, garlic, and leek is crucial, as is the Sichuan pepper. But the amount
of oil originally called for in the recipe is not. I jettisoned a half cup so we could eat it more regularly as a lighter meal.
I doubt the cooks at Han Dynasty would
recognize the recipe. But to quote Lucky
Peach, “the mapo tofu galaxy is one of
infinite possibilities, spiraling outward from an originally spicy, oily,
numbing, meaty sauce/stew of Sichuan origin.”
This is one meaty mission I can get
behind, with just the right level of numb tongue.
Mapo
Veal
Inspired by Han Dynasty courtesy of Lucky Peach #15: The Plant Kingdom
Ingredients:
3 to 4 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp minced fresh peeled ginger
1 leek, white and light green parts
well cleaned, split lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1½ to 2 cups uncooked white rice (see notes)
¼ cup canola oil
2 tbsp chili garlic sauce (such as Huy
Fong)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
½ pound ground veal (or regular beef or
pork or lamb)
1 tbsp fermented black bean paste
1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili sauce)
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp ground Sichuan pepper
Optional
garnish: chopped cilantro
Instructions:
Make sure your garlic, ginger, and
leeks are prepped and ready to go.
In a medium saucepan, add the rice and
1½ times the quantity of rice of water.
(For instance, add 3 cups of water to 2 cups of rice.) Stir and bring to
a boil uncovered, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the water
is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked.
(Turn off the burner and keep the lid on for 5 to 10 minutes after the
rice has finished cooking—the rice can sit longer, if necessary, while the
sauce comes together.)
While the rice is cooking, heat a large
saucepan on medium high heat, add the oil and the garlic and ginger; sauté
until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in
the chili sauce and then the hoisin.
Add in the ground meat, breaking it up
with a spoon. Cook for about 30 to 60
seconds, stirring occasionally, and then add in the leeks and cook another 60
seconds or so. Stir in the black bean paste
and gochujang. Add in 2 cups of water
and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
In a small bowl, make a cornstarch
slurry with 3 tablespoons of cold water. Add in the slurry and let the mixture simmer
about 5 minutes, or until it thickens slightly.
(It should look like a thick chili.)
Stir in the Sichuan pepper. Serve on top of rice with cilantro, if
desired.
Serves 4 to 5
Notes:
-I typically prefer basmati rice and
this case is no exception. The rice to
water ratio may vary slightly depending on the type of rice you use. (I left a range for the rice, the resultant portion should be just enough for the sauce.)
-This would also be great with noodles
instead of rice.
