OKARA SOY FRITTERS WITH PONZU

INGREDIENTS:

160 grams Okara (Soy pulp)
100 grams Water
45 grams Carrot
20 grams Shiitake
10 grams Green onions
5 grams Burdock root
30 grams Soy sauce
30 grams AP Flour
15 grams Rice flour
45 grams Vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1
PREPARING THE INGREDIENTS. Finely chop the carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and burdock root. Thinly slice the green onions.
2
MAKING THE MIX. Add the okara to a bowl and pour in the water. Mix until it forms a soft "dough." Add the vegetables and soy sauce, then stir until homogeneous. Finally add the two flours and mix just enough to bind everything together. The total weight of the mixture will be 400 grams.
3
FRYING THE FRITTERS. Add the oil to a pan and place it over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, form the mix into 100 gram fritters (shape them like hamburger patties) and carefully add them to the oil, releasing them away from you to avoid splashing hot oil onto your hands. When the fritters are golden brown around the edges, use a spatula to turn them over and fry on the other side. As the fritters are ready, remove them from the pan and drain them on a plate or tray lined with a clean kitchen towel while the remaining fritters finish cooking.
4
HOW TO SERVE. Cut the fritters in half and arrange the halves onto serving plates. Grate some fresh daikon radish, squeeze out some of the moisture, and arrange a small pile onto each plate. Serve with ponzu sauce. You can also sprinkle a bit of shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice chili powder) if you have it or cayenne if you can't find shichimi. The hot spice - like the daikon and ponzu - is a great balance to the richness of fried foods in general.

Note

STORAGE. The fritters will store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply add them to a pre-heated oven (about 150°C/300°F) for 7 or 8 minutes. If you have more okara on hand to make a larger batch, you can also freeze the mixture in bulk and defrost as needed.

ALTERNATE WAYS TO SERVE. This fritter is shaped like a hamburger. Follow your instincts and put them on buns with some lettuce, tomato, onion, and whatever condiments you like as a protein rich alternative to the typical veggie burger recipes out there.