Traditionally made with dried Sichuan Chili Peppers and oil for the coloring, I use Thai garlic Ginger Sauce and Sesame oil instead.
One Day, seems like about 10 years ago in the Winter time, My Son and I were shoveling our Driveway after a 15” or more Snowfall. My motto is get it quick after it falls if you can because it’s light and easy to shovel when it first falls.
As we finished, I mentioned our recently Widowed Neighbor who was from Japan, still learning to drive since the loss of her husband, spoke very little English and having her hands very full with their Autistic Son, a nice young man, but can not be left alone. So my Son, said nothing, just walked over and Shoveled her Drive way after he had just done ours. My proudness of him grew immensely that day.
Long story short, the next morning she rang our doorbell and handed us this large, beautiful, shallow Japanese Bowl filled with this warm, delicious smelling food! Shocked, I tried to ask her what it was and she said Maybo, or Maypo Tofu….but I struggled to understand. Well, something that surpasses any language barrier is food! It smelled so amazing that I had to taste it right then and there.. it was delicious and my body language gave me away. I loved it, so much so that I kept tasting it, trying to figure out what was in it.
I wrote a note for her to give to her friend the next time she came over…. She could translate the note to ask again what it was and I finally got the name, so I looked it up on the internet and found a recipe that looked close to what I knew was in it, and I did make it, and I did tweek it to get what I was looking for, and then I lost it?????♀️
So this recipe is from the things that I remember putting in, measurements were out the window, so I just did what sounded about right. Some ingredients are just because, and may not be Japanese influence but could be Chinese. I’ll let you be the Judges. This is my Version.
*I have heard that for a Vegetarian version of this, you can substitute Shiitake Mushrooms for the meat in this recipe.
You also may be interested in my Butter Chicken, Pork Red Curry or Tom KA Gai. Links here. Butter Chicken IP, Curry Red Pork IP, Tom Ka Gai IP
Maypo Tofu:
Serves 4
Make Rice ahead of time.
1/2 lb Ground Pork.
2-3 Tbsp Sesame Oil.
6 cloves Garlic minced.
3 tsp Minced Raw Ginger.
3-4 large Scallions chopped. (1 1/2 cups ish) Plus more for garnish.
1 pkg firm Tofu.
2 slices bacon cooked and chopped.. divided.. (save 1/2 out for garnish)
2 Cups rich Chicken Broth. I use homemade (or 1 Tbsp low sodium Better than Bullion chicken and 2 c water). You may want more later.
2 Tbsp Corn Starch.
5 Tbsp Thai Garlic Chili Sauce (More if you want more than 3*Spice).
A few shakes of fish Sauce (1/8 tsp).
2 Tbsp Catsup.
1 Tbsp Miso Paste. (If you use red curry Paste it would end up more red colored)
3 Tbsp seasoned Sushi Rice Vinegar (or Sake).
1 Tbsp Shoyu (Soy Sauce).
In a Medium Bowl, add the Corn Starch and Chicken Broth, Stir, and then add the Chili Sauce, Fish Sauce, Catsup, Miso Paste, Sushi Rice Vinegar and Shoyu, stir well. Taste it, Set this mixture aside.
Use a Large Frying Pan heated to Medium Hi heat.
Add the Sesame Oil and Ground Pork and saute until cooked. You may need to drain the fat depending on your Pork.
Add the Ginger and Garlic. Continue to sauté.
Add the Chicken Broth Mixture. Heat until the Sauce bubbles and thickens. Let simmer for a couple of minutes. Taste your Sauce. Add more Ginger, Better than Bullion, Chili sauce or what you think you may want more of, remembering that the Meat and the Tofu will take a lot of the heat away. You may will want to taste it again after adding them. Add the Scallions, Bacon and the Tofu, fold it in and heat through. Taste it at this point with Tofu and Meat. Add more chili sauce seasoning if you want. Don’t forget to hold some of the Scallions and Bacon out for garnish. Pull the frying Pan off the heat, serve up.
serve over or beside cooked Calrose Rice.
Garnish with Bacon and Scallion.
