I found this recipe online that says it’s the one used by P. F. Chang’s. I changed it up a bit, and was really, really happy with the results. I was out of vegetable broth (for shame) so I used water, but as Mr. Brown says, water doesn’t bring any flavor to the party. Here’s my recipe for Ma Po Tofu.

Ingredients
14 oz tofu, extra firm
1 tbsp chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
1 tbsp miso paste (preferably brown)
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp fermented black beans
1 tbsp (or more) crushed red pepper
1 cup vegetable broth or water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp soy sauce or tamari
4 stalks green onions, chopped
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

Put the entire block of tofu in a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook for three minutes. Remove, drain, cool until it can be handled, and cut into one-inch blocks. Heat both oils together in a large deep skillet or wok at medium heat. Mix the chili sauce and miso into a paste, add to the oil, and cook for about one minute. Add the black beans and crushed red pepper, and cook for thirty seconds. Add the broth, sugar, and soy sauce, mix well, then add the tofu and simmer for about five minutes. Add the green onions. Mix the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle into the skillet a little bit at a time and stir. Keep adding until the sauce thickens to your liking. You may not need to add all the cornstarch. Serve with some broccoli and steamed rice.