Many records and books indicate that Mapo Tofu existed as early as 1254 in a suburb of Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province. Mapo Tofu has now become a popular Chinese dish in China. Its classic recipe consists of silken tofu, ground pork/beef, fermented broad beans and soybeans (豆瓣酱 doubanjiang), fermented black beans (豆豉douchi), and Sichuan peppercorns.
Although Mapo Tofu has adapted into various versions in different areas, the dish is generally cooked in a spicy, oily, chili and bean-based sauce. Doubanjiang（豆瓣酱） is an important ingredient in this dish since it adds a strong fermented, savory, salty, and spicy taste. Sichuan peppercorns are also another main ingredient in this dish. It gives a citrusy taste with a numbing sensation when you eat it.
In Chengdu, you can enjoy the most authentic flavor of Mapo Tofu, which will give you a powerfully spicy flavor with both conventional "heat" spiciness and the characteristic málà (numbing spiciness) of Sichuan cuisine. Don’t miss out on this dish when you are in Chengdu.