Fried Tofu Patties (Ganmodoki)

Step 1

Wrap two blocks of tofu in a couple of layers of paper towel and place them on a rack in a tray (note 4). Cover it with cling wrap.

Step 2

Place another tray on top of the tofu with a weight of 1.5-2kg/3.3-4.4lb (note 5). Leave it in the fridge for 6-12 hours until the weight of the tofu becomes about 400g/14.1oz in total.

Step 3

Randomly chop edamame beans into smaller pieces (about quarter size). Squeeze water out of the rehydrated hijiki.

Step 4

Put the tofu in a large mortar, a bowl, or a stand mixer and break it into very fine pieces, almost like a coarse paste.

Step 5

Add corn flour/cornstarch and salt to the tofu and mix well.

Step 6

Add a half of the beaten egg to the tofu and mix well. If the tofu mixture is still very firm, you can add some more egg, but if the mixture is very soft, do not add any more egg. If the mixture is too soft, you cannot form round patties.

Step 7

Put all the vegetables into the tofu mixture and mix well, ensuring that the vegetables are evenly spread.

Step 8

Transfer the mixture to a tray, levelling the surface. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions by drawing lines (note 6).

Step 9

Put a small amount of oil (not in ingredients list) on your hand, take a 1/8 portion of the tofu mixture and form a round patty of about 7cm/2¾" in diameter.

Step 10

Put oil in a frying pan or a wide saucepan up to 2-2.5cm/¾-1" deep, and heat to 160°C/320°F.

Step 11

Put tofu patties into the oil. Deep-fry for 2.5-3 minutes on one side until lightly browned. Turn them over and cook further 2.5-3 minutes. The surface of the ganmodoki should be light brown, not dark brown.

Step 12

Transfer the ganmodoki to a tray/plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.