Wafu Mabo Don
和風麻婆丼·(wafū mābō don)
The 20-Minute Donburi: Weeknight Survival
Drop a block of silken tofu into miso, soy sauce, and dashi while the skillet bubbles, trusting the heat to turn twenty minutes of weeknight chaos into dinner. By rendering supermarket ground pork from a cold pan and simmering the tofu directly in the broth, this Wafu Mabo Don builds a thick gravy. Spoon it heavy over short-grain rice and eat it while it burns.
Before you start
Prepare the sauce base.
Whisk the dashi broth, miso, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, and yuzu kosho together in a small bowl until the miso is completely dissolved.
Ingredients
- prepared dashi broth1 cup
- awase or yellow miso2 tbsp
- soy sauce1 1/2 tbsp
- sake1 tbsp
- mirin1 tbsp
- sugar1 tsp
- yuzu kosho1/2 tsp
- firm tofu14 oz
- ground pork1/2 lb
- fresh ginger1 tbsp
- garlic2 med clove
- scallions3 med
- toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- cornstarch1 tbsp
- short-grain white rice4 cup
Method
- 01
Render the pork from a cold start.
Spread the ground pork into a cold, large skillet, then turn the heat to medium-high and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until beautifully browned and crisping in its own clear fat.
- 02
Bloom the aromatics.
Add the minced ginger, garlic, and the white parts of the scallions to the rendered pork fat, sautéing for about a minute until fragrant so they blossom instantly without burning.
- 03
Simmer the tofu directly in the broth.
Pour the miso sauce mixture into the skillet, bring to a gentle boil, and slide in the tofu cubes. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 3 to 4 minutes to draw excess water out of the tofu while forcing the savory flavors inside.
- 04
Thicken with the starch slurry.
Uncover the pan, lower the heat, and slowly drizzle in the cornstarch slurry while gently pushing the tofu in a circular motion. Turn the heat to medium and let it boil for a full 60 seconds to fully cook the starch and create a glossy, stable gravy.
- 05
Finish and serve donburi style.
Turn off the heat, drizzle the sesame oil around the edges, and fold in the green scallion parts before ladling generously over deep bowls of hot steamed rice.
Notes
Trust the cold start.
Starting the ground pork in a cold pan prevents the meat from rapidly dropping the pan's temperature and steaming in its own water, ensuring a proper sear and eliminating any gaminess.
Skip the tofu blanching.
Traditional Mapo Tofu requires boiling the tofu in salted water to firm the protein structure, but simmering the raw tofu directly in this slightly concentrated broth saves a pan and acts like a sponge for the miso and dashi flavors.
From Cook Japanese in America.