Sesame-Soy Tofu Burgers with Scallions

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes, plus chilling time

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Sea greens add nutrition, taste, and texture to these tofu burgers. For cocktail food, make mini burgers (or “meat” balls; see page 506) to serve on toothpicks and dip in Miso Carrot Sauce with Ginger (page 654) or Fishless Fish Sauce (page 656).

• ¼ cup arame, kombu, or wakame
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1½ pounds firm tofu, patted dry
• ½ cup panko or bread crumbs (preferably fresh, page 678)
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2–3 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Pour boiling water over the arame and soak for 1 or 2 minutes. Drain well.
2. Trim the scallions, put in a food processor, and pulse a few times, until chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Put about half of the tofu and the arame in the processor (no need to wash it out) and pulse a couple of times, until just crumbled. Add to the scallions. Put the remaining tofu in the processor and let it run until the tofu is smooth. Add it to the bowl along with the bread crumbs, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Sprinkle with a little salt and lots of pepper and stir well to combine. Lightly wet your hands and shape the mixture into 4 to 8 patties; put them on the baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
3. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the patties. Cook, undisturbed, until golden, 3 to 8 minutes. Add more oil if the pan looks dry, then turn them over carefully with a spatula and cook until the burgers feel firm and are golden on the other side, another 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Walnut-Tofu Burgers Rich and silky: Reduce the tofu to 1 pound and omit the sesame seeds. In Step 2, with the first half of the tofu, add ½ cup chopped walnuts (or cashews, almonds, or hazelnuts) and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. When processing the second half of the tofu, add ¼ cup chopped walnuts and process until smooth.

Sesame-Tofu Burgers with Adzuki Beans Nice reddish brown color and meaty texture: Reduce the tofu to 1 pound. In Step 2, with the first half of the tofu, add 1 cup well-drained adzuki beans and pulse a few times until crumbled.

Tempeh-Tofu Burgers Deeply flavored: Replace 8 ounces (one-third) of the tofu with 8 ounces tempeh. In Step 2, pulse the tempeh in the food processor along with the sea greens and a little bit of the remaining tofu until crumbly.