What is the first dish that comes to your mind when you hear Sichuan cuisine?

When I hear Sichuan cuisine, the first dish that comes to mind is Mapo Tofu.

The reason why this dish is so impressive is inseparable from my college days. I was admitted to university in 1992. When I was admitted to university, my family was not wealthy. In addition, that summer, my sister was admitted to a junior high school in Wuhan, and my brother was admitted to an adult university. My parents are worried about the cost of sending three children to school. At that time, my father was still in the army. The benefits of being a soldier are far less generous than they are now. My mother works in the canteen of a state-owned enterprise. The salary is also meager. However, parents insist that their children's studies cannot be delayed under any circumstances. So, after piecing everything together, the three of us children embarked on the road to study away from home at the same time. Because my sister is the only daughter in the family and the youngest child. Therefore, the living expenses for my sister’s schooling are relatively sufficient. My brother and I need to control our expenses every month so that our parents can remit money to us again. I remember clearly at that time that almost all of my three meals a day consisted of steamed buns and my mother’s homemade fermented bean curd. Occasionally, I would go to the large stove window in the cafeteria to order some inexpensive dishes. My mother would also send me two large bottles of fermented bean curd every month. At that time, the school cafeteria had a special stir-fry window where students could order and make fresh stir-fries. Every time I look at that window, I feel envious.

My relationship with Mapo Tofu happened by chance. One day I ordered a small stir-fry from my upper bunk bed. When he was brought back to the dormitory, his high school classmates happened to come to see him, so he took his classmates to a restaurant on campus for dinner. When he was leaving, he told me not to waste it, just give it to me and wash the tableware for him. This stir-fry was mapo tofu. I scooped a mouthful of it and thought it was truly delicious. The spicy and fragrant taste really makes me want to stop. From then on, I would try to find ways to squeeze out more from the meager living expenses. Every two weeks, I have to spend eight yuan to stir-fry a portion of Mapo Tofu. During my four years in college, this was the only luxury I had.

Even 20 years after graduation, this is still a must-order dish for me every time I go to a Sichuan restaurant.

Because it carries the memory of my youth and makes me never forget it.

Ma Po Tofu