Dinner for 4
Ma Po Tofu
Tofu and ground beef simmer with garlic, ginger, fermented beans, and spicy seasonings in a thickened sauce.
Typical price
$7.26for 4 servings
$1.81 per serving$7.26 for 4
Typical price: Salefork's estimate of an everyday US shelf price for each ingredient. Pick your city to price it from this week's ad.
Photo: TheMealDB
- 35 minstart to table
- Mediumdifficulty
- 4servings as written
- $typical cost tier
ChineseDairy-freeBudgetFamilyDinners
What it costs
Pick your city to see which ingredients are on sale
| Ingredient | Amount | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tofu$0.17/oz typical | 16 oz | $2.70Typical price |
| Ground beef$5.49/lb typical | 0.2 lb | $1.21Typical price |
| Nuts and seeds$0.70/oz typical | a little | $0.10Typical price |
| Canned beans$0.09/oz typical | a little | $0.01Typical price |
| Green onions$1.19 each typical | 0.75 | $1.02Typical price |
| Garlic$0.75 each typical | 0.25 | $0.15Typical price |
| Fresh ginger$0.40/oz typical | 4 oz | $1.60Typical price |
| Total for the servings shown | $7.26 | |
Pantry staples you likely have
Asian sauces and pastesSalt and pepperSoy sauceOlive and cooking oilCornstarch, vanilla, yeast, cocoa
Not included in the cost.
Ingredients
- 450 g tofu
- 100 g minced beef
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seed oil
- 1 1/2 tsp doubanjiang
- 1/2 tsp fermented black beans
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sichuan pepper
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 400 ml water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 chopped scallions
- 4 spring onions
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 4 sliced ginger
- 2 1/2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Steps
- Cut the tofu into cubes, chop the garlic and scallions, and slice the spring onions.
- Heat the olive oil and sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the beef, garlic, ginger, doubanjiang, fermented black beans, pepper, Sichuan pepper, and salt for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the soy sauce and 400 ml water, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the tofu and simmer gently for 10 minutes without stirring heavily.
- Mix the cornstarch with 2 1/2 tablespoons water, stir it in, and cook for 2 minutes until thickened.
- Fold in the scallions and spring onions, and cook until the beef reaches 160 F.
Swaps
- Ground beef for Ground turkeyabout $0.50/lb less at typical prices
- Canned beans for Dried beans and lentilsabout $0.02/oz more at typical prices
Main ingredient on sale this week? See what to make with tofu on sale.
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