Part 3/8:
The origins of Mapo Tofu date back to its creation by a woman known as Mapo in 1862. Interestingly, the original version was reported to be quite different — it was made with pork slices, and notably lacked chili bean paste, starch, or chili oil, with even the Sichuan pepper being optional. This revelation raises questions about what constitutes the 'authentic' recipe.