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Sweer and Sour Tofu with Veggies and Rice

(important note: I usually wing the amount of ingredients. Don't interpret them strictly! They could be wrong. Also, most spices can be substituted if you want to use a different flavor or if you don't have an exact spice.)
Prep Time1 hour
Active Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Keyword: vegan
Yield: 4

Equipment

  • 1 oven for cooking tofu
  • 2 large bowls 1 for mixing tofu, 1 for sauce
  • 1 large tray for tofu
  • 1 large pan for cooking vegetables
  • 1 pot (any size) for rice

Materials

tofu

  • 4 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce - preferably low sodium
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil - any vegetable oil also works
  • 1-1/2 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp paprika - optional
  • 1 tbsp cayenne - optional
  • 1 tsp dill leaves - rough estimation
  • 1 tsp oregano

sauce

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste - spicy tomato paste is optional but works really well!
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp turmeric - optional
  • extra pineapple juice (if you have any) - optional

veggies (most can be substituted)

  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 orange pepper
  • 1 broccoli
  • 1 cup sliced pineapple - important!
  • 1/2 bag of spinach
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp dill leaves
  • 2 tbsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp oregano

Instructions

Tofu

  • Open your tofu container and drain all excess water.
  • Cut the tofu block horizontally and further cut each tofu piece vertically into smaller strips (preferably 4 or 5 for each piece)
  • Place a towel underneath and over the tofu. Fill a large pot of water and press it over the tofu.
  • Wait for 15 minutes as the tofu slowly dries. Flip after 15 minutes and repeat until both sides become dry.
  • Further cut the tofu into squares; there should be 4 or 5 squares for every strip
  • Place the tofu in a large bowl and add spices. Add cornstarch and mix well without breaking each tofu piece.
  • Set the oven to 400°F. Place aluminum foil over a large tray and separate each tofu piece without any touching each other.
  • When the oven finished heating up, place the tofu on one of the oven trays and wait 15 minutes. Flip the tofu in-between cooking so both sides are cooked.
  • Wait for 10 minutes for the tofu to cool and add the tofu to the rest of your dish.

Sauce

  • Add apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and soy sauce and mix moderately well. Add cornstarch, spices, and extra pineapple juice. Stir with added ingredients until saucy.
  • Add with tofu.

Veggies

  • Slice all veggies and pineapple into small pieces without dicing.
  • Add olive oil into a large pan and turn stove to high heat. Add veggies and cook until ready.
  • Add sliced pineapple 5 minutes after veggies.
  • After the veggies and pineapple slices are cooked, turn stove to low heat. Add spices and wait for 15 minutes.
  • Serve with other ingredients.

Rice

  • Wash rice in small bowl. Pour 4 cups of water into large pot.
  • Add 2 cups of rice when boiling. After adding rice, turn to lower heat. Make sure to add salt!
  • Stir occasionally until all water is absorbed.
  • Serve with everything else!