Chinese sweet and sour tofu

2 tubs 14 oz extra firm tofu

½ cups cooking oil for frying

Sweet and sour sauce

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup natural brown sugar

½ cup of ketchup

1 tablespoons of lemon juice ( or more if desired taste)

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

1 tablespoon of water

Mix the above 4 ingredients for sauce in a separate bowl.

1 large red onion cut into squares

1 large green bell pepper chopped into 1-inch squares or triangles.

1 large red or yellow bell pepper into 1-inch squares or triangles

¼ cup pineapple chunks or smaller (optional)

2 cloves of mashed garlic

⅛ cup of sliced ginger matchstick size or smaller

Salt to taste as needed

1 tablespoon of cooking oil for sauteing

Instructions

1. In a medium sized deep and nonstick skillet place oil and heat on medium temp. Fry the tofu until brown and crispy in 2-3 batches. Transfer to colander and drain the oil.

Tofu and Sweet and Sour sauce added

1. Heat one tablespoon of oil in the same medium sized pan. Saute ginger and garlic until brown. Add the red onion and if desired add the pineapple. Cook for 1 minute

2. Add the sauce mixture and fried tofu and mix well. Let boil for 2 minutes. May add water to your desired consistency of the sauce.

3. Add  the bell pepper to desired crispiness. 

4. Season with salt as desired.

5. Served with steamed rice.

Lumpia- Filipino spring roll

Ingredients

1 cup of thinly sliced sweet potato

1 cup of thinly sliced green beans

1 cup of thinly sliced jicama

2 cups of shredded cabbage

2 cups of bean sprouts

3-4 cloves of crushed garlic

1 medium sized onion

1 Tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce (prefered, but braggs soy sauce works as well.

Salt to taste

1 pack of lumpia wrapper

2 cups of cooking oil

Sweet chili sauce for dipping

Instructions

1. Sautee the garlic and onion in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat until brown.

2. Add the sweet potato, green beans, and carrots until tender, but still crispy. Add the jicama and bean sprout. Season with vegetarian oyster sauce and salt to taste

3. Cook until desired crunchiness and transfer to colander until cool. Make sure it is completely drained. Liquid creates a hole in the wrapper.

To make the spring rolls

1. Lay open the spring roll wrapper on a rolling board, or chopping board diagonally  at your angle and place about 2 tablespoons of the above cooking ingredients in the center of the wrapper.. Fold the bottom of the wrapper covering  the ingredients, fold next each side and roll. Brush tip with water to seal. Repeat the procedure until all of the filling is gone.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan until hot and fry the spring roll until brown and crunchy (quantity depends on size of pan). Transfer to a colander again for oil to drip.

3. Serve with sweet chili sauce immediately. Spring rolls get soggy quickly.