Here is the mapo tofu I cooked the other day. The missing part is the genuine Sichuan Peppercorn powder.
Here is the dish from the authentic Mapo Doufu restaurant which is named after the dish. I went there to have the dish during my last visit
Which one do you like more
You mean which picture? The second one. And how can you have it be that dish WITHOUT Sichuan peppercorns, even subpar ones?
I don’t think there’s just one authentic recipe.
Totally agree. However don’t they all have Sichuan peppercorns?
To me, better none than subpar one. I remember one time the Sichuan Peppercorn I got here in US has mixed with some very suspicious small particles, look like peppercorn seeds but definitely not. Because you can easily crush it.
The issue with the 2nd dish, IMHO, is the chef didn’t spread the powder wide enough and the color is not red enough.
it depends on how you define authentic.
“Authentic” is a word that’s a hot button at times here. To say “I don’t think there’s just one authentic recipe” avoids that trap 
Traditional recipes use a Sichuan bean paste that contains Sichuan peppercorns.
http://themalaproject.com/pixian-chili-bean-paste-douban-jiang/
Good to know. Hot button? Need to be “politically correct”
Nope. It’s just that there are too many “authentic” versions so people tend to argue. Imagine that For instance I make Marcella Hazan’s carbonara which I consider “authentic.” Others don’t
Nah, the traditional Chili bean paste doesn’t have Sichuan peppercorns as ingredients. It mainly has Broad Bean, Chile Pepper, and salt.
We just imported some from China and reported the ingredients to FDA
Brooks Li
Ok, authentic IMHO is just relatively speaking. In no way it means better
Brooks Li
You’re an importer, that’s why you got knocked off Chowhound.
I lived in Rome for three years and Hazan’s recipe fits right in that tradition. Anyone who complains it’s not authentic is either not well informed or means “not my nonna’s recipe.”
Being an importer has nothing to do with my post at its forum. I do not see its outright ban on this, plus I was not even promoting my products.
First post about a product you import looks like spam.
Right - as an importer of this particular product, I believe I know a lot more than most others on the product and there is able to contribute to the discussion. Not sure how they draw the line… anyway, I move on. Good to find a place for food discussion here.
Good point. No one want shills muddying the water. Until one has a bit of a history things can be misunderstood.
