Pork, Tofu & Hijiki Patties with Ponzu Sauce Recipe

Le Creuset logo
Serves
6
Prep time
30 mins
Cooking time
6 mins

Japanese people love burgers and patties, but these contain far less calories and are healthier than you might imagine. These burgers are made with tofu and shiitake mushroom which not only reduces the calories but increases the flavour and texture too.

The Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Rectangular Grill is great for grilling meat or burgers. You only need a tiny amount of oil because the cast iron grill is formulated for high surface temperature cooking. The grill will ensure deep golden char lines and will lock in the moisture to deliver a delicious flavour.


Ingredients

  • 15-20g (1.5 tablespoons) dried Hijiki seaweed 
  • 3-4 shitake mushrooms, chopped 
  • 2 teaspoons grated ginger 
  • 100g firm tofu  
  • 400g minced pork 
  • 1 egg, beaten 
  • ¼ cup(25g) panko (Japanese breadcrumb) or breadcrumb  
  • 1 tablespoon white miso 
  • 1 tablespoon mirin 
  • 1 tablespoon sake 
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
  • Oil for cooking 

For the Yuzu ponzu sauce (135ml)

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or brown rice vinegar  
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon mirin 
  • 2 tablespoons yuzu juice  

To garnish

  • Grated daikon/Mooli (Japanese radish) and chopped chives or shiso leaves

Method

  1. Put the dried Hijiki in a bowl and soak it in plenty of cold water for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the Hijiki becomes soft, it should increase by about five times its original size. Drain the hijiki using a sieve and rinse with cold water.  
  2. Chop the fresh shiitake mushroom and finely grate the ginger. Next, break down the tofu block, crumbling it by hand. Then add the remaining of the patty ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly by hand until sticky. 
  3. Divide into 12 balls and flatten to make patty shapes around 1.5cm thick and set aside.  
  4. Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C Fan/ Gas Mark 5. Place the grill on a medium heat to warm for a few minutes. Carefully brush the grill with a little oil, then place the patties on to cook for 3 minutes on each side. Put them then into the oven for another 3 minutes.  
  5. To make the Ponzu sauce, grate the daikon with a fine grater into a small bowl. Add all other Ponzu sauce ingredients and mix together well. 
  6. Serve the patties alongside the Ponzu sauce.  

Cook's notes

Try using a different type of meat, such as chicken or turkey.

If you have a Japanese daikon grater, this is great, but you can also use a regular grater too.

You can serve the patties in buns like normal hamburgers, perfect for a BBQ party. They can also be made into bigger sized patties or made smaller as a tasty appetiser for a drinks party.


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