Mapo Tofu Frittata with Green Salad
This Mapo Tofu Frittata features a fluffy frittata packed to the gills with a vegetarian rendition of Mapo Tofu complete with shiitakes mushrooms, silky cubes of tofu, and lively Sichuan peppercorns.
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- wok
Ingredients
Vegetarian Mapo Tofu **
- 14g (0.4oz) dried mixed mushrooms
- 1 cup boiling water
- ¼ cup neutral oil I used canola oil
- 6-8 dried chili peppers
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 1 ½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorns ground into a semi-fine powder
- 200g (7oz) shiitake mushrooms stems removed, finely diced
- 2 tbsp La Doubanjiang (spicy broad bean paste)
- 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
- 1 brick medium tofu cut into cubes
Mapo Tofu Frittata
- 6 large eggs
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1½ tsp all-purposed flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 batch Vegetarian Mapo Tofu
- 3 scallions finely sliced
- ½ head red leaf lettuce washed and coarsely chopped
- 2 mini cucumbers thinly sliced
- 3 radishes thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
For the Mapo Tofu
- Place the dried mushrooms in a medium-sized bowl and pour the boiling water over top. Leave the mushrooms to soak for 30 minutes.
- When the 30 minutes have passed, drain the mushrooms, reserving the steeping liquid. Squeeze the mushrooms to release any excess moisture. Finely chop the mushrooms and set aside.
- Pour the oil into a large wok and place over medium-high heat. Add the dried peppers and sauté until fragrant. When the peppers start to turn black, fish them out of the oil using a slotted spoon. Discard.
- Place the garlic, ginger, and peppercorns in the wok and sauté until fragrant. About 30 seconds or so. Add the shiitakes and dried mushrooms and fry until softened. Stir in the la doubanjiang and sauté briefly. Pour in 2/3 cup of the mushroom steeping liquid and bring to a simmer.
- In a small bowl whisk to combine a 1/4 cup of the mushroom steeping liquid and the cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the wok and stir until the sauce thickens. Gently fold in the tofu and cook until heated through. Take the wok off of the heat and set it aside.
For the Frittata
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Grease a cast iron skillet with neutral oil. Pour the Mapo Tofu into the skillet and spread to form an even layer. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the eggs, cream, flour, half of the salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the mapo tofu and place over medium heat. Cook until the egg begins to set around the edges of the pan. About 2-3 minutes
- Transfer the frittata to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until set in the center. While the frittata is baking, place the lettuce, cucumber, and radish in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and the remaining salt and toss to coat.
- When the frittata is done, take it out of the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the green salad piled on top or serve on the side.
Notes
** You can make the mapo tofu a full day ahead. So on the day of all you need to do is transfer it to a cast-iron skillet and pour the frittata mixture over top.