Big Burger Ballyhoo 2007 : Tofu Burger

I'm not really a hamburger connoisseur, but I've suddenly developed an urge to sink my teeth into a big, juicy burger with all the works after watching "Pink Panther", particularly this scene. Could this be a conspiracy by the hamburger industry to transform us into hamburger - chomping - special - sauce - dripping - from - the - sides - of - our - mouths junkies ?!? Haha ... no I'm not crazy. You know how when you have a song stuck in repeat mode in your head? In my case, it was that scene as I was whipping up this recipe for the Big Burger Ballyhoo 2007. Even as I was grinding the ingredients for my entry, I swear I could hear the food processor yelling, "I WOULD LIKE A HAMBURGER !" with a french accent each time I hit the pulse button.

For this burger recipe, I'll be going the m00-friendly route with a healthy hand-crafted meatless Tofu Burger variation. Instead of regular tofu, I've chosen to use Chinese baked tofu. They have a firmer texture than regular tofu and are available in two varieties: plain white pressed tofu and seasoned brown five-spice tofu. I went with the latter. Its convenient and I can use the leftovers in a cucumber tofu salad or a snack later.

As for the buns, I cut a few slices of multi-grain bread into 3-1/2 inch rounds, pan-fried them lightly with a dash of olive oil and added a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Yummy ... I'm definitely saving some to make canapes later :)

Back to the tofu burgers, I have decided to pan-fry them but by all means, go crazy with the barbeque. These tofu burgers are definitely grill-friendly. I browned a couple of these tofu patties to a golden perfection, and smothered over some pan-fried crunchy sweet sugar snap peas, sliced button mushrooms and fresh cut cucumbers. I don't know if there's a magic dressing for a tofu burger, but a spread of my Spicy Pesto Sauce mixed with honey dijon mustard and my taste buds are ready to do the Conga :)


Tofu Burger Recipe ( for 2 patties )

Ingredients :
4 blocks baked five-spice tofu squares, cut into 4 quarters
( each block is 2x2 inches and 1/2 an inch thick )
1 tbsp chopped green onions
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce ( I used a Thai brand : Mae Ploy )
2/3 cups dry breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tsp sesame oil
black pepper, salt and sugar to taste

Method :
1) Blend all ingredients ( except breadcrumbs ) in a food processor until a smooth texture is formed.
2) Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add breadcrumbs and mix well.
3) Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Shape mixture into 2 patties. Freeze the tofu patties for 5 minutes.
4) Place patties on skillet or grill ( oiled ) and cook for 3 minutes on each side until browned.

Burger Buns :
4 slices of multi-grain bread, cut into 3-1/2 inch rounds, lightly pan-fried with a dash of olive oil with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds ( or use regular burger buns )

Burger Dressing :
Spicy Pesto Sauce
Honey Dijon Mustard
Paprika
Cayenne Pepper

Note : Regular firm tofu may be substituted if five-spice tofu is unavailable. An alternative to sweet chili sauce is Asian Teriyaki Glaze or Sauce. It will then be a Teriyaki Tofu Burger :)