CoCo Ichibanya Mapo Tofu Japanese Curry
Recreating my favorite dish from Japan’s CoCo Ichibanya. This one pot curry is the ultimate Chinese Japanese fusion comfort meal and is ready in under 30 minutes!
I had the most amazing time visiting Japan for the first time in 2023 and one of my highlights was going to CoCo Ichibanya for a delicious bowl of Japanese curry. CoCo Ichibanya is primarily an affordable fast casual chain serving a variety of classic Japanese curries ranging from pork cutlet omelet curry to vegetable croquette curry. You can find CoCo Ichibanya at most major cities in Japan but only some very limited major cities in the US. This is why I decided to create a copy cat version so I don’t have to make a trip to Japan just to taste this savory and spicy curry!
If you’re looking for more vegan asian inspired recipes, give the following recipes a try.
- Meal prep friendly vegan kimbap with kimchi fried rice
- Filipino inspired tangy vegan tofu sisig
- Taiwanese classic 3 cup chicken with seitan
What is mapo tofu Japanese curry?
One of our favorite dishes we tried at CoCo Ichibanya was the mapo tofu curry which was a fusion between a classic Chinese mapo tofu and a Japanese curry. Unfortunately this spicy and savory curry is not a part of their standard menu, it is currently a seasonal specialty that is only offered at select locations or times throughout the year. Typically mapo tofu is made with a spicy ground pork slurry and soft tofu but the use of a Japanese curry mix gives the dish a more creamy yet still spicy flavor profile.
Key ingredients & substitutions
- Tofu – While mapo tofu is typically made with soft tofu but you can use firm tofu as well. This dish is a vegan mapo tofu by omitting the traditional ground pork
- Curry Mix – My favorite brand to use is the Golden Curry brand which is easy to find at all asian markets and most large supermarkets. I like using the “hot” mixture to keep the dish spicy but you can also adjust based on your spice tolerance level
- Doubanjiang– Doubanjiang is a spicy and savory fermented Chinese chili bean paste that is used in many traditional Szechuan dishes including mapo tofu. You can use basic doubanjiang paste or even better, pixian doubanjiang. This recipe only calls for 1 tbsp but you can definitely add more if you have a higher spice tolerance. I do not recommend substituting this ingredient as it is a core flavor profile for mapo tofu.
- Vegetables – The eggplant and bell pepper are all ingredients that CoCo Ichibanya used in their version so I decided to try to stick to as much as the original as possible! You can also add your own preferences such as mushrooms, carrots, or potatoes.
CoCo Ichibanya Mapo Tofu Japanese Curry
Ingredients
Method
- Prep the ingredients. Crush the garlic and thinly slice the green onion, keeping the white and green parts of the onion away from each other. Cut the bell pepper into 1 inch squares, removing the pit in the middle and the stems. Cut the eggplant into half an inch thick rectangular matchsticks (or squares). Cut the tofu into 1 inch squares.
- Steam the eggplant. I prefer to pre-cook the eggplant in the microwave in order to reduce the amount of oil in this recipe. I place the cut rectangles onto a plate and cover the plate with a wet paper towel. Heat the eggplant on high in microwave. The wet paper towel will steam the eggplant, accelerating the cook time and keeping the eggplant soft.
- Stir fry the aromatics. Heat a wok or pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and wait for the oil to become hot. Once the oil is ready, add in the white parts of the green onion and the bell pepper. Stir fry everything together until aromatic and the bell pepper and the onion starts to become soft, about 1 minute. Then add in the crushed garlic and doubanjiang, stir fry together for another minute.Note: Add more doubanjiang paste if you want the sauce to be more spicy.
- Cook the curry. Add in the eggplant and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes until the eggplant is well coated with the aromatics. Add in the Japanese curry mix. As the paste starts to heat and melt, mix all the ingredients well so everything is nicely coated. Add in the water and bring the pot to a simmer. Add in the tofu and cover the pan, allowing the curry to simmer on low for ~ 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions on top and some white rice.Note: If the curry mix is too watery at the end, allow the curry to simmer uncovered until the water is reduced or add more curry paste. Similarly, if the curry is too dry, add in a bit of water.
