Vegetarian Kimchi & Tofu Egg Rolls + Homemade Sweet & Sour Sauce
Kimchi Day 11.22.21
The date 11/22 is significant since there are 11 main ingredients in kimchi including 22 health benefits like probiotics.
What better way to celebrate Kimchi Day and Meatless Monday than stuffing my face with some Kimchi & Tofu Egg Rolls.
These kimchi egg rolls are packed with my homemade fermented kimchi and tofu, then deep fried with perfection in a nice crispy wrapper.
Scroll down for my Sweet & Sour Sauce Recipe too!
These kimchi egg rolls are packed with fermented spicy kimchi and plenty of vegetables and then deep fried with perfection in a nice crispy wrapper. They’re not your traditional egg rolls but it’s a fun way and delicious way to make a vegetarian friendly fried appetizer!
Egg roll Ingredients:
1/2 pack (7oz) Firm or extra firm tofu (forked into crumbles, about 1/2 cup of crumbled tofu)
1 package of egg roll wrappers
2 tbs sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tbs minced ginger
1 cup of kimchi (drained, hand squeezed of all liquids then thinly chopped)
4 stalks scallions thinly sliced in diagonal slices (about half a cup)
1 tbs light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 egg (beaten)
1 egg white (in separate bowl to seal egg rolls)
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts (finely chopped and parboiled)
1/2 cup julienned carrots and chopped into smaller pieces
2 1/2 cups finely chopped/sliced cabbage
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or lemon juice)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp honey
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
¼ cup water
1/8 tsp salt
2 tablespoon neutral oil
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic (about 2-3 garlic cloves)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1.5 tablespoon cold water
1 tsp scallions
1 thai red pepper or other small red pepper for color (remove seeds from Thai pepper for less heat)
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE PREPARATION
1. In a measuring cup or medium bowl combine the rice vinegar, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, salt and water in a small bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Set bowl aside.
2. Combine cornstarch and 1.5 tbs of water in small bowl, mix well and set aside.
3. Heat a small saucepan/pot. Add the oil, turn heat to high and swirl to coat the bottom of your pan. When the oil is glossy and thin add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant (about 15 seconds).
4. Adjust heat as needed to not brown the ginger and garlic. Add your reserved bowl of other ingredients and pour into pan and raise heat to a light simmer & continuously stir.
5. Reduce heat to a medium-low setting and stir in cornstarch/water mixture and stir until the mixture thickens and transparent (it will go from a cloudy/milky color to a more clear syrup) about half a minute and stir for about another minute to vaporize some of the vinegar.
6. Turn off and remove from heat. Transfer to bowl or tupperware and refrigerate until ready for use.
EGG ROLL BATTER PREPARATION
1. Press the tofu 20 minutes to get rid of excess moisture (wrap the tofu in paper towels or a kitchen towel and press the tofu block between plates).
2. Heat 1 tbs sesame oil in pan over medium heat. Add shallots until semi-cooked/transparent, then add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 2-3 min) then fold in kimchi and stir to get rid of any excess moisture.
4. Smash tofu in a large mixing bowl and press tofu with a large fork until you have tofu scrambles/crumbles and add to pan and pan fry for a few minutes over medium heat.
5. In small pot barboil (blanch) bean sprouts and carrots and drain & chop into smaller pieces.
*Optional: boil noodles and drain.
6. Add soy sauce, 1 tbs sesame oil, salt, pepper to pan and add bean sprouts. Cook until most of moisture has evaporated.
7. Transfer to large bowl and let cool. Then whip in egg (and optional noodles) and cabbage and mix well.
EGG ROLL ASSEMBLY
Put in bowl 1 egg whip and lightly mix, this will be used to seal your eggrolls.
Put a couple tbs of filling into the center of the wrapper (you may use less or more depending on your wrapper size, these shouldn’t be over stuffed).
Fold in the sides of egg rolls then gently push down on filling and roll egg roll out. Seal end of egg roll corner edges with the egg white mixture and place into a tupperware until you are ready for deep frying.