Posted on: Wednesday, February 23, 2005
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LIGHT & LOCAL
Quick patty made with tuna, tofu
By Carol Devenot
It is always good to hear from readers. I got an e-mail from Janice, parent of a 17-year-old female wrestler who loves tofu burgers and wants to be sure she's getting enough protein. Janice doesn't cook much and needs a fast and easy fish burger, ground chicken, or turkey recipe. I have just the recipe for her. It comes from my book, "Island Light Cuisine."
This recipe for a quick patty made with tofu and tuna brings back memories of making tofu from scratch at Kalaheo High School, where I taught food science. For many of the students who were not used to tofu, this was a good introduction, served with teriyaki sauce and hapa ice (half brown and half white rice).
There are so many brands of tofu on the market. Look for those with the lowest fat grams — it can vary from 1.5 to 4 grams per serving — and the lowest sodium count. You can use low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe, too.
It is important to get all the water out of the tofu; if you don't, the patty will not hold. I've used egg substitute here, to cut back on cholesterol, but you can use two egg whites, instead.
Tuna Tofu Patties
Place the tofu in a clean dishtowel or cheesecloth. Bring the sides of the cloth together and squeeze tightly to remove all the water.
Put the tofu in a bowl and add the tuna, green onion, Better'n Eggs, and cornstarch. In a separate small bowl, mix the soy sauce, salt, and brown sugar together and add to the tuna/tofu mixture. Mix well and shape into 8 patties.
Spray a nonstick frying pan with cooking spray and fry the patties on each side for 10 minutes on medium heat until they are golden brown.
Serves 8.
• Per serving: 153 calories, 18 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 8 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams dietary fiber: 45 percent protein, 19 percent carbohydrates, 36 percent fat Want a local recipe lightened up? Write Light & Local, Taste Section, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; or taste@honoluluadvertiser.com. Carol Devenot is a Kaimuki-raised kama'aina, teacher and recipe consultant, and author of "Island Light Cuisine" (Blue Sea Publishing, paper, 2003). Learn more at www.islandlightcuisine.com.
