For a nice light dinner with a sauteed vegetable or salad or sweet potato fries for something casual.
Tofu Patty Cakes also make really nice and different hors d’oeuvres to pass around with a dip.
They are delicious and fall under the, “Even my meat eating friends like them” category.
For vegan, an egg substitute could be easily used as well as a flax egg (1 Tbsp Ground flax mixed with 3 Tbsp water for each egg, let sit for 15-30 minutes.)
Except the vegan flax egg Tofu Patties won’t be as firm. They will hold up fine, they just don’t set as well.
A Sweet Thai Chili Sauce is great with these, bought or homemade, or a ginger soy sauce, like for gyoza. Something with a bit of acidity. We even tried a balsamic reduction that was nice.
Vegan Tofu Patty Cakes, they look the same
What You Need To Make Tofu Patty Cakes
INGREDIENTS
Makes about 34 tofu patties
Tofu pressing time: 2 hours -overnight
Prep time: 40 minutes
Pan frying time: 5 minutes
- 2 packages firm tofu, about 400g each. More or less is fine, not all sizes are available everywhere
- 2 large eggs
- About 3 carrots, finely grated to make about 1 good cup
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
- ½ -1 tsp curry powder, to taste
- ⅓ cup (83g) hoisin sauce
- 1 Tbsp light sesame oil
- 1-2 tsp minced fresh garlic
- 1½ tsp chili oil, or to taste
- 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¾ cup (120g) cornstarch ¼ cup (40g) to mix in and ½ cup (80g) for coating (or sub 1 cup (125g) flour in total)
- Vegetable oil for pan frying, I used avocado
1. Remove excess water from the tofu by placing opened tofu between large plates or cutting boards and weighting with a can or other clean weight for at least two hours.
Pour off liquid every ½ hour or so. Lay it on a clean towel to remove excess moisture.
2. Gently squeeze the grated carrots to remove some excess liquid.
You will see that quite a bit of juice will come out of the carrots if you grate them fine, as I did. This depends on how juicy your carrots are.
If you do a medium grate, less juice will come out, which is fine. Drink the juice though, don’t toss the juice out! Carrots cleanse the liver and are a source of antioxidants, vitamin K1 for normal blood clotting and helping calcium work for the bones and beta carotene that the body converts to vitamin A for eye health.
3. Combine the eggs, or flax egg, parsley, curry powder, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chili oil and salt.
4. Add ¼ cup of the cornstarch (or ⅓ cup (45g) of the flour) and mix well.
5. Mix the grated carrot together with the egg mixture.
6. Mash the pressed tofu, or dice and pulse a few times in a food processor.
7. Add to the carrot and egg mixture and combine well.
8. Using a scoop or 2 large spoons, form large tablespoon sized mounds. About 35.
9. Shape into balls, then flatten into firm patties about one inch thick.
10. Over medium heat, pour about a teaspoon of oil into a large fry pan, preferably cast iron or non-stick.
11. Lightly coat the patties in the remaining cornstarch, (or flour if using).
12. Fry in the pan giving them enough space between to lightly brown and crisp.
Cook about two minutes each side. Try to flip them only once.
Lay on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Continue with all patties, adding more oil as needed.
Serve with more hoisin or Sweet Thai Chili sauce on the side.
Tofu Patty Cakes
A sweet Thai chilli sauce is great with these, bought or homemade, or a ginger soy sauce. Something with a bit of acidity, even plum sauce.
Prep Time: 40 minutes, Tofu pressing time 2 hours or more
Pan frying Time: 5 minutes
Yield: about 30 Tofu patties
INGREDIENTS
- 2 packages firm tofu, about 400g each
- 2 large eggs
- About 3 carrots, finely grated to make about 1 good cup
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
- ½ -1 tsp curry powder, to taste
- ⅓ cup (83g) hoisin sauce
-
1 Tbsp light sesame oil
-
1-2 tsp minced fresh garlic
-
1½ tsp chili oil, or to taste
-
1½ tsp salt, or to taste
-
¾ cup (120g) cornstarch ¼ cup (40g) to mix in and ½ cup (80g) for coating (or 1 cup (125g) flour in total)
-
Vegetable oil for pan frying, I used avocado
INSTRUCTIONS
- Remove excess water from the tofu by placing opened tofu between large plates or cutting boards and weighting with a can or other clean weight for at least two hours. Pour off liquid every ½ hour or so. Lay it on a clean towel to remove excess moisture.
- Gently squeeze the grated carrots to remove some excess liquid. You will see that quite a bit of juice will come out of the carrots if you grate them fine, as I did. This depends on how juicy your carrots are.
- Combine the eggs, or flax egg, parsley, curry powder, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chili oil and salt.
- Add ¼ cup of the cornstarch (or ⅓ cup (45g) of the flour) and mix well.
- Mix the grated carrot together with the egg mixture.
- Mash the pressed tofu, or dice and pulse a few times in a food processor.
- Add to the carrot and egg mixture and combine well.
- Using a scoop or 2 large spoons, form large tablespoon sized mounds. About 30.
- Shape into balls, then flatten into firm patties about one inch thick. Set aside.
- Over medium heat, pour about a teaspoon of oil into a large fry pan, preferably cast iron or non-stick.
- Lightly coat the patties in the remaining cornstarch, (or flour if using).
- Fry in the pan giving them enough space between to lightly brown and crisp. Cook about two minutes each side. Try to flip them only once. Lay on paper towels to drain excess oil. Continue with all patties, adding more oil as needed.
Serve with more hoisin or sweet Thai chili sauce on the side.
