Simple Mabo Tofu

Mabo tofu (or mapo tofu, mabo dofu) is a Szechuan dish served spicy with pickled pork. This is not that recipe. My oldest boy loves Grandma Ikeda's mild mabo tofu, so since I didn't have the recipe, I decided to go to Marukai and buy the box mix. WRONG!! He actually had my mother-in-law write the recipe down for me as soon as he was in Hilo.

According to Isaac, do not bother with anything that claims to make mabo tofu from a box or foil package.

Grandma Shigeko Ikeda's recipe (originally from Aunty C)
Chop and fry green onion, ginger and garlic (to preference)
Add a tray of ground pork, fry and drain
Add about 3/4 cup chicken broth

Mix on the side then add to the pan:
2 t. miso
2 t. sugar
2 T. shoyu (it depends on how much pork you use, but keep the same ratio and experiment)

Meanwhile, cube one block of firm tofu, put in a colander and pour hot water over it to make it a little more firm. When tofu is drained and the pork is no longer pink, add tofu.

Thicken the sauce with about 2 t. cornstarch (made into a paste first with some of the cooking liquid).

Pau.
*Note: if you want it spicy, I've put in a couple dried Hawaiian chili peppers from the freezer sliced up, or you can use the Chinese spicy paste.
Boy 2 makes it a little differently and adds more miso. This is flexible. Do what tastes good.