MA PO DOU FU
This dish was named for the smallpox-scarred wife of a Qing Dynasty restaurant owner who prepared it
for local workers on their lunch break. Found on most Sichuan restaurant menus, the dish can be made with either ground beef
or pork, stir-fried with chili oil and chili bean paste. To brighten the dish, scallions or leeks are added, as well as cubes
of silken do fu. The dish is served topped with freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn, giving the diner a tingling sensation,
despite the mild flavor of the do fu.