Skip to main content
WindhorseTour
Shortlist (0) China travel guide Blog FAQ About us Contact us
info@windhorsetour.com +86-28-85593923
  • Home
  • Tailor-made tour Tailor-made
  • Tibet tours Tibet tours
    All Tibet group tours
    All Tibet private tours

    Destination

    • Lhasa
    • Central Tibet
    • Mount Everest Base Camp
    • Mount Kailash & Far Western Tibet
    • Eastern Tibet Nyingchi
    • Sichuan/Yunnan to Tibet overland
    • Sichuan Tibetan Kham
    • Train Journey to Tibet
    • Beyond Tibet - Nepal Bhutan Tour

    Theme

    • Pilgrimage Tour
    • Culture and Heritage
    • Family focused
    • Festival
    • Natural scenery
    • Overland
    • Photography
    • Train travel
    • Trekking & Biking
    • Winter getaways
  • China tours China tours
    All China private tours

    Destination

    • China Multi-city tours
    • Beijing
    • Xi’an
    • Shanghai
    • Hong Kong
    • Guilin & Yangshuo
    • Chengdu
    • Datong & Pingyao
    • Yunnan
    • Guizhou
    • Tibet
    • Yangtze River Cruises
    • Zhangjiajie National Park
    • Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong
    • Mount Huangshan
    • Mount Emei & Leshan
    • Daocheng Yading
    • Sichuan
    • Qinghai
    • Xiamen

    Theme

    • Pilgrimage Tour
    • Culture and Heritage
    • Family focused
    • Festival
    • Natural scenery
    • Overland
    • Photography
    • Train travel
    • Trekking & Biking
    • Winter getaways
    • 1st Time travel to China
    • Panda Volunteer Program
    • Yangtze cruise
  • Silk Road tours Silk Road
    All Silk Road private tours

    Destination

    • Zhangye Rainbow Mountain
    • Dunhuang
    • Turpan
    • Kashgar
    • Badain Jaran Desert
    • Kanas Lake
    • Silk Road Tibet
    • Silk Road China
    • Kuqa
    • Hotan
    • Yining Grassland
    • Jiayuguan
    • Tianshui

    Theme

    • Culture and Heritage
    • Festival
    • Natural scenery
    • Overland
    • Photography
    • Trekking & Biking
    • Panda Volunteer Program
  • Travel guide Travel guide
    All travel advice

    Tibet travel advice

    • Tibet travel advice
    • The Ultimate Guide on How to Visit Tibet
    • Best time to visit Tibet
    • Tibet Permit and How to Get the Tibet Travel Permit
    • 50 Things To Do in Tibet, Top Tibet Tourist Attractions
    • A Complete Travel Guide to Mount Kailash and Kora Trekking
    • How to avoid high-altitude sickness in Tibet

    China travel advice

    • China travel advice
    • Guide on How to Travel China, Tips, Popular Destinations [Updated 2023]
    • The Best Times to visit China: By season and by month
    • Planning a Trip to China with 10-Step Guide
    • Top 20 photography destinations in China
    • Top 30 Attractions in China
More
Home > Blog > WindhorseTour Travel Team > Mapo doufu - Sichuan cuisine's legendary tofu dish

Mapo doufu - Sichuan cuisine's legendary tofu dish

WindhorseTour Travel Team
WindhorseTour Travel Team

Mapo tofu is one of the marquee dishes of Sichuan cuisine - a style of Chinese food that is world-renowned for its spice. There are many recipes for this peppery fare available online, but the only way to get a truly authentic order of Mapo tofu is to come to Sichuan, China!

Mapo tofu has a long history in southwest China but its origins have obscured over time. One of the most popular local versions of the dish's beginning is as follows:

Long ago in Sichuan, a gorgeous girl named Xishi sold tofu at the fair. Xishi was popular with everyone. Even though her tofu was not particularly tasty, people would come from all over and buy her tofu just so they could appreciate her beauty - to such a degree that as time passed by, 'tofu Xishi' became a household phrase referring to beauty. 

Meanwhile, a very unattractive lady called Mapo, a reference to her unsightly face - coming from the Chinese words "ma" meaning 'pockmarked' and "po" meaning 'old lady,' also sold her tofu at the fair and hers was widely regarded as the most delicious-tasting tofu in all of Sichuan.

Despite Mapo's exceptional ability to make irresistable tofu, her looks kept anyone from befriending her. One day, however, a prince was given some of her delicious tofu for the first time and decided that he would marry whoever could make such amazing food. After tracking Mapo down, he was confronted with her homely appearance but decided to marry her anyway because of how good her tofu was, and they lived happily ever after.  Since then, this unique tofu dish has carried her name and her method has been spread all across Sichuan.

 

Authentic Mapo tofu is made with unique ingredients and seasonings only native to Sichuan, such as Chinese pepper. The dish is made by slicing tofu into squares and braising them in soy sauce and local ingredients and spices. After all the other seasonings and ingredients have been added, the most vital seasonings - crushed red pepper and Chinese pepper are added, and finally the Mapo tofu can be served. 

Each piece of white tofu looks like the face of a lady, while the pepper sauce is said to resemble the freckles and pockmarks on Mapo's face. Though the tofu itself is so soft and tender that it seems to melt when you put it into your mouth, the Chinese pepper and crushed red pepper will give your tongue a zesty burning-and-numbing sensation that is typical of Sichuan dishes. The combination of spicy, numb, soft and yummy come together to form the authentic Mapo Tofu flavor.

If you come to Sichuan, be sure to try Mapo tofu.

While you're at it, pick up some Chinese pepper

and see if you can get a local to teach you their

secret recipe. That way, you can take more than

just memories home - you will be able to introduce

your friends to this one-of-a-kind treat!

Related tours

Lhasa to Tsedang Tour Route
Samye Monastery Great Photo

5 days Lhasa and Samye cultural exploration

Lhasa
⇀ Lhasa
...
Lhasa ⇀ Tsedang ⇀ Lhasa
5 days
∙ Private ∙
Culture and Heritage
A popular and short sightseeing trip in Lhasa and around with drive to Tsedang the cradle of Tibetan civilization. Discover the mystery of Tibet's Buddhist culture as you visit the most revered sites of Samye Monastery and Yumbulakang Palace.
Add to shortlist
From CN¥ 3,100
View tour >
distance views of namche barwa from lulang forest in nyingchih
Lhasa Nyingchi Tour Route
Peach Blossom in Nyingchi
potala Palace - the landmark of Tibet
Sera monastery monks debating tibet tour

6 days Picturesque Tibet tour with Nyingchi visit

Lhasa
6 days
∙ Private ∙
Natural scenery
See "the Tibetan Switzerland" on a pleasant journey to Nyingchi located in central Tibet. Nyingchi is known for its natural beauty mixed among the high plateau unique scenery of gorgeous alpine lakes and green mountains.
Add to shortlist
From CN¥ 4,100
View tour >
Central Tibet Tour Route
Panorama of Namtso Lake

8 days Central Lhasa spiritual

Lhasa
⇀ Lhasa
...
Lhasa ⇀ Namtso ⇀ Reting ⇀ Tidrum ⇀ Drigung Til ⇀ Lhasa
8 days
∙ Private ∙
Culture and Heritage
Explore rural Tibet along a road less traveled. Stay within central Tibet and see the different lifestyles and traditions of the nomads along with traditional villagers. Relax yourself in the unrivaled beauty of holy Namtso Lake.
Add to shortlist
From CN¥ 5,450
View tour >
Sichuan Yunnan Tibet Tour
Tibet In Depth Tour Route
Chim-puk hermitage
Gyantse Fort
Yamdrok Lake Winter Tibet

8 days Tibet in-depth tour

Lhasa
⇀ Lhasa
...
Lhasa ⇀ Tsedang ⇀ Gyantse ⇀ Shigatse ⇀ Lhasa
8 days
∙ Private ∙
Culture and Heritage
The holiness of Tibet, the tradition of Potala Palace, the majestic beauty of Mount Everest and Yamdrok Lake - whether you are a pilgrim, tourist or adventurer, Tibet has something to offer you!
Add to shortlist
From CN¥ 5,200
CN¥ 5,200
View tour >
Admin data
 

Popular blogs from
WindhorseTour Travel Team

Covid-19 Update 4/15/2020
Manchu Cuisine - the Flavor of China's Northest
Mahjong - Chinese traditional dominoes
"he who has not been to the Great Wall is not a true man"
Rabbit Head: Chengdu delicacy, an unusual meal for Foodies

Contact us

  • +86-28-85593923
  • info@windhorsetour.com

Discover

    • Tibet group tours
    • Tibet tours
    • China tours
    • Silk Road tours
    • Create your tailor-made tour

Company

  • About us
  • Blog
  • China travel guide
  • FAQ
  • Terms of use and Privacy statement

Customer Reviews

© 2006 - 2023 WindhorseTour.com - All rights reserved