Pan-Fried Tofu Cakes  - The Foodie Takes Flight (2024)

• 400 g extra firm tofu , mashed—makes 2 cups mashed tofu
• 1 large raw potato (120g), I used a yukon gold, peeled and shredded—makes 1 cup shredded potatoes
• 1 small carrots (110g total), makes 1 cup shredded
• 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
• 1 cup bread crumbs of choice, I used Japanese breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 tbsp chopped spring onion or scallion (10g)
• 2 cloves garlic minced

Batter

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour , plus more as needed (40g)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp soy milk
• 1 tsp neutral oil
• 2 tsp baking powder

For coating

• 1 cup bread crumbs of choice I used Japanese breadcrumbs

For cooking

• Neutral oil for cooking

To serve

• Lime wedges for serving
• Sweet chili sauce for dipping
• Chopped spring onion for topping

• Drain excess liquid from the tofu blocks by wrapping them in towels and then placing a heavy flat surface (such as a pan or plate) on top. Leave to sit for 10-12 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed by the towels. Alternatively, you can place the tofu in a thin kitchen cloth or cheese cloth and squeeze out the excess liquid.

• In a bowl, place the tofu and then mash with a fork or your hands. Do not over mash and leave some chunks.

• Wash the potatoes and carrots well. Peel and then shred. I used a cheese grater for this. For the potatoes, place them in a thin kitchen towel or any cloth. Squeeze out any liquid very well since potatoes tend to release a lot of liquid when shredded.

• Mix the carrots and potatoes with the mashed tofu.

• Mix all the batter ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Pour the batter into the tofu, potato, and carrot mix. The batter will help bind all the ingredients together.

• Add in the salt, chopped spring onions, garlic, pepper, and 1 cup bread crumbs into the tofu mix. Mix until well incorporated.

• Form the mixture into balls before flattening them down into small cakes. You can also opt to make them larger or smaller—it’s totally up to you! If you find the mixture is a little too wet and doesn't hold up well, you can add 1 tbsp flour or more, to get the mixture firmer.

• Coat the cakes in the remaining 1 cup of bread crumbs.

• Heat a pan (I used acast-iron pan) and add enough oil to coat the surface.

• Once the oil is hot, place the cakes. Make sure they don’t stick to one another.

• Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Flip over and cook the other side.

• Best enjoyed while hot! I topped mine with some chopped spring onions and squeezed some lime juice before dipping in some sweet chili sauce.

• Baking option: Place on a baking tray lined with some parchment paper or use any non-stick surface. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350F or until golden brown and crisp. Flip halfway through cooking. I use an oven toaster with temperature settings.

• See notes for storage and reheating tips!

Storage tip: You can pan fry all the cakes and then refrigerate them. If freezing, cook directly from frozen—Do NOT thaw them before cooking because they can turn soggy.

Reheating tip: Heat on a pan or oven toaster until crisp.