Sichuan Tofu Dips

Bowl of Chili Bean Tofu Dip
  Chili Bean Paste Dip 		Bowl Chili Oil Tofu Dip
  Chili Oil Dip 		Bowl of Ciba Style Dip
  Ciba Style Dip 		Bowl of Quick Chili Dip
  Quick Chili Dip

These "Dips" are often used with soft to very soft Tofu, where they are spooned into a bowl of Tofu as desired. All these recipes are sized for a 4 ounce spice jar, though the Quick Chili Dip is only half, and the first two you may have to eat a little to get it all in.

Chili Bean Paste Tofu Dip

This is based on Fuchsia Dunlop's favorite tofu dip. It's very flavorful and moderately hot.

1/3
2
1/4
1
c
T
c
t
Chili Bean Paste (1)
Black Beans (2)
Oil (6)
Sichuan Pepper (3)
  1. If chunky, chop or grind the Chili Bean Paste fine.
  2. Rinse Black Beans and pound to paste in a mortar. Mix with the Chili Bean Paste.
  3. Heat Oil over moderate heat and fry gently, stirring until the paste smells cooked and the oil is red. Turn out into a bowl.
  4. Grind Sichuan Pepper to powder and mix into the dip.

Chili Oil Tofu Dip

This recipe presumes you have made Chili Oil similar to our recipe Chili Oil so you have the sediment available. Hotness varies with your Chili Oil, our recipe is fairly mild.

3
3
3
1/4
T
T
T
c
Chili Oil(4)
Chili Oil Sediment
Soy Sauce
Scallion Greens
  1. Slice Scallion Green thin. Measure is lightly packed.
  2. Mix together All Items.

Ciba style

This is going to be hot. It's based on a much simplified version of Guizhou Ciba chili paste. In Guizhou, southeast from Sichuan, they consider Sichuan cuisine too mild.

12
1/2
ar
3
1/4

T

T
c
Red Chili, hot (5)
Sichuan Pepper (3)
Water
Soy Sauce
Scallion Greens
  1. Run Chilis and Sichuan Pepper fine in your spice grinder.
  2. Pour Chili mix into a small heatprooof bowl, and stir in just enough Water to make a paste.
  3. In your little Tadka Pan, heat the Oil to around 330°F/165°C. Pour it over the Chili Paste and stir it in well.
  4. Stir in Soy Sauce and let cool.
  5. Slice Scallion Greens thin. Measure is lightly packed. Stir into the Dip.

Quick Chili Dip

Fine for when you're in a hurry, or lack some ingredients. Hotness and flavor depend entirely on your Chili Flake. A wide variety of Chilis are used in Sichuan. see Chili Flake.

2
1/2
2
3
3
T
t
T
T
T
Chili Flake (7)
Sichuan Pepper (3)
Oil (6)
Soy Sauce
Scallion Greens
  1. Run Sichuan Pepper in your spice grinder or pound in a Mortar.
  2. Slice Scallion Greens thin. Measure is lightly packed.
  3. Mix everything together.
NOTES:

  1. Chili Bean Paste:

      This should be Sichuan paste made using Broad Beans instead of Soy Beans. The photo example was made with the most traditional variety, needing considerable chopping. For details see our Broad Bean Products page.

  2. Black Beans:

      These are salt fermented black soy beans, available in most Asian markets. For details see our Fermented Black Beans page.

  3. Sichuan Peppercorns:

      Quantities given are to my taste, some may favor a little less. These "peppercorns" are fruits of a prickly ash tree - nothing at all like black peppercorns. Asian recipes always call for them to be lightly toasted before use, but to be legally imported into the USA they must already be lightly toasted, so I skip that step. For details see our Sichuan Pepper page.

  4. Chili Oil / Sedament

      This is a very important ingredient in Sichuan and the surrounding region. It is not difficult to make by our recipe Chili Oil.

  5. Chilis, Hot Red:

      These should be very hot. Hot Thai is good - de Arbols if you don't have them (not quite as hot, but larger). For the photo example I used Chinese 7 Star (very hot). For details see our Chinese Chilis page.

  6. Oil:

      The proper oil is a cold pressed Rapeseed Oil, not common in North America. An Indian Mustard Oil is very similar (it'll say "for massage use only", but nobody believes that). Otherwise, Pure Olive Oil will do (not Virgin).

  7. Chili Flake:

      A wide variety of chilis are used in Sichuan, from quite mild to blazing hot. For details see our Chinese Chilis page.

  8. Comments:

      All of these dips are adapted from über expert Fuschia Dunlop's book The Food of Sichuan.
  9. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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