Whatever you do, just don’t make it like the Culinary Institute of America, as demonstrated by Chinese Food Demystified in this video, and call it mapo tofu. I’m sure it’s a tasty stir, but mapo tofu it ain’t.
I’m not sure either about the chile oil. Some people like Lady and Pups go hard on their chile oil, but i found good enough results adding the chile flakes with the meat as it sautés.
