Tofu with Ground Pork and Shrimp

This is one of my most favorite tofu recipes ever. I've been such a pest to my mother in the kitchen lately; messing up her perfectly cleaned kitchen and bothering her with endless questions on her food. I have a feeling that she secretly loves it and since it's to my benefit, it's a win-win situation. This tofu is sweet from the juicy tomatoes but salty from the ground pork and I've never gotten bored of it after 20 years!

Tofu with Ground Pork and Shrimp

Yields: 8 - 10 servings

24 oz. ground pork

8 oz. ground shrimp

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsn. sugar

4-5 tbsn. fish sauce (depending on how salty you like it)

2 packages of extra firm tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

vegetable oil

6 large roma tomatoes, chopped into 1 in. pieces 

2 large onion, wedged and broken up

4 tbsn. of ketchup, to your liking

2 tbsn. oyster sauce, to your liking

1/3 cup of chopped parsley

Directions:

In a deep pan pour the oil in until it reaches a height of about 1 centimeter. Heat the pan on medium high until oil is hot. Lay the tofu in carefully and cover the pan and let cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Carefully turn the tofu on its other side and cook until brown and crispy. Once done, take out let cool and then slice into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the ground pork, ground shrimp, pepper, fish sauce, and sugar. Mix well. Heat a large pan on medium high. Add the meat mixture and break up while cooking. About 5 - 10 minutes later, add the diced tofu, tomatoes, and onion. Cook for another 10 - 15 minutes or until all well cooked and onions are soft. Next, add the ketchup and oyster sauce. Add more of each to your own taste. Mix well and let meld for another 3 - 5 minutes. Once everything is all cooked, serve hot and top with the chopped parsley.