Sichuan Peppercorn Tofu Salad

Sichuan Peppercorn Tofu Salad

Nico and I lived in Shanghai for several years. One of the question that always comes back is what we miss the most from that time. Our mutual answer is. . . the food! Shanghai is such a great place to experience the variety of Chinese cuisine, from Dongbei to Guangdong and even Xinjiang! And guess what? We made the most of it. One of our favorites (yes, we have many favorites) is Sichuan cuisine. The spices and particularly the Sichuan pepper (Mala) is what’s making it so special. Sichuan food is not just hot, it also has that tingling sensation that no other food has.

Sichuan Peppercorn Tofu Salad

This salad is very simple but packed with flavours. The main ingredient is the tofu so you’ll want to get the best quality you can find. You can use silken tofu but a firm tofu will give a better texture in this dish. I used green onions and coriander as toppings. The dressing is mainly composed of Chinkiang vinegar (or black vinegar), soy sauce and of course sichuan peppercorn oil. You can easily find these in any chinese store.

Slicing tofu

Sichuan Peppercorn Tofu Salad

Serves 2 as main, 4 as side

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 package firm tofu (approx. 400g)
  • 1 bunch coriander
  • 1 bunch green onions

Dressing

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sichuan peppercorn oil
  • 2 tbsp + 1 tsp Chinkiang or black vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • a pinch of chicken broth powder (optional)
  • salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Rinse tofu under cold water briefly. Slice in 1inch cubes.
  2. Rinse green onions and slice at an angle.
  3. Rinse coriander and chop coarsely.
  4. Mix the ingredients for the dressing and adjust to taste.
  5. In a bowl, add the tofu and 2/3 of the sauce. Coat evenly and let marinate for 5 minutes. Mix again and marinate for another 5 minutes.
  6. Before serving, add green onions and coriander and drizzle with the rest of the sauce.