Chinese · dinner
Vegan Mapo Tofu with Shiitake and Chickpeas
Video by Yeung Man Cooking on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten, Soy. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Chickpeas and mushrooms replace the usual pork, so this mapo tofu is plant-based and low in saturated fat, with plenty of folate, vitamin K and plant omega-3. Dried shiitake give a meaty, savoury depth without stock cubes.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 15
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Put the dried shiitake and water in a small covered saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer on medium for 10 minutes. Keep the liquid; cool the mushrooms, squeeze them out, remove the stalks and dice finely. 0:24
- Meanwhile chop the green onions, roughly crush the chickpeas with a fork, cube the tofu and finely chop the garlic and ginger. 0:46
- Toast the peppercorns in a dry pan for about a minute, then grind them in a mortar and pestle. 4:21
- Heat the chilli oil over medium heat and sauté the chickpeas and mushrooms for 1–2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger for another minute. 4:49
- Stir in the chilli powder, ground pepper and doubanjiang, then pour in the mushroom water and season with the sugar, soy sauce and rice vinegar. 5:30
- Slowly stir in the starch slurry until the sauce thickens, then gently fold in the tofu and heat through. Serve topped with green onion. 6:14
Tip. Serves 4 over rice (our estimate). Use 2 tbsp chilli oil for a milder, lighter version; leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 27%
- Protein 19%
- Fat 54%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Omega-3 High72%
1.2 g a serve, mostly from chilli oil (78%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Folate High33%
133 µg a serve, mostly from canned chickpeas (54%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin K High30%
36 µg a serve, mostly from green onions (65%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Selenium High24%
13 µg a serve, mostly from soft or medium-firm tofu (78%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Iron Source17%
3.1 mg a serve, mostly from soft or medium-firm tofu (41%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Magnesium Source16%
69 mg a serve, mostly from soft or medium-firm tofu (45%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Zinc Source15%
1.6 mg a serve, mostly from soft or medium-firm tofu (43%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin E Source14%
2.1 mg a serve, mostly from chilli oil (83%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin B6 Source13%
0.2 mg a serve, mostly from canned chickpeas (26%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Show the other 6
Potassium9%
420 mg a serve, mostly from soft or medium-firm tofu (32%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Calcium6%
76 mg a serve, mostly from soft or medium-firm tofu (48%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin C4%
3.2 mg a serve, mostly from green onions (65%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin A2%
18 µg a serve, mostly from chilli powder (67%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin D0%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from dried shiitake mushrooms (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Yeung Man Cooking; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.