Broccoli Rising and a Broccoli Recipe from a Friend
It’s a true friend who gently nudges you out of your comfort zone and encourages you to do something you never thought yourself capable of, someone who somehow intuits what you need, even when you don’t know yourself. Kazu Abe is that kind of a friend.
Kazu and her family have been feeding Miami for decades. When my husband Benjamin and I moved back to Miami after two years in Tokyo, her parents’ izakaya (translates as something like fun and funky Asian eatery) felt more like home than anywhere else in the city. It was where I could eat yasaiitame, edamame, and the ume-shiso rolls I’d loved in Tokyo. It was where I could drink pots of tea and speak a little Japanese and not have people look at me like, hunh? And it was where I met Kazu.
About a year later, she and her husband Johnson Teh opened Lan Pan-Asian. It’s Asian fusion plus a fusion of Johnson’s kitchen creativity and Kazu’s friendly front of house manner. Both places are still going strong two decades later — which in fickle Miami is amazing.
Also amazing is Kazu’s own blog, Funky Asian Kitchen, where she shares recipes and gently steers you through the process step by step. Not all of her recipes are vegan, but they’re authentically Asian and she always offers a technique or two to help you up your cooking game. I, opposed to stuffing anything — bras, ballot boxes, dumplings — would never have made shumai without her saying, sure you can. And I could. And I did!
We were talking recipes one evening, and Kazu shared this one, for broccoli-tofu patties. Burgers and patties are what everyone loves, and, perversely enough, what I hardly ever make. But I do love broccoli and tofu, and that’s why she developed this recipe. Besides, she said, It’s in honor of Broccoli Rising.” I mean, who does that? A true friend, that’s who.
These patties are easy, vegan and delicious — a triple win. You’ll love them. And Kazu, too. Friends make everything taste better. A little broccoli doesn’t hurt, either.
Broccoli/Tofu Patties
from Kazu Abe
Serves 4
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 10 mins.
1 head broccoli
1 block medium firm tofu (about 14-16 ounces)
4 cloves garlic minced
1 bunch scallions (about 6 stems) trimmed and minced
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 Tablespoons white miso
½ teaspoon salt
3.5 ounces (100 grams or 3/4 cup) all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons neutral oil
Cut the broccoli florets from the stalks. Using a knife or peeler, trim and peel the stalks. Chop all of the broccoli into small bits (like cauliflower rice).
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the broccoli and blanch for 20 seconds. Drain well and set aside. (You can also forgo the blanching and use the broccoli raw if you prefer).
Using a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels, squeeze the tofu, eliminating as much liquid as possible. Place the tofu in a large bowl and add the drained broccoli to the bowl.
Add the minced garlic, scallions, sesame oil, miso, salt, and all purpose flour to the bowl.
Use clean hands to mix the ingredients well. Portion the mixture into 8 soft ball sized mounds.
Heat a large 12” non-stick or well seasoned pan over medium heat for several minutes. Add the oil and swirl the oil to coat the pan.
Place four of the broccoli mounds onto the skillet and cook for 3 minutes, using a spatula to shape them into thick patties.
Gently flip over the patties and cook for 1 minute then cover with a lid and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Flip again and cook for an additional minute. Flip one last time and cook for one more minute until both sides are brown and crisp.
Place the patties onto a plate and continue cooking the remaining patties. (You can also place the first batch of patties into a 250 degree oven to keep warm while you cook the next batch).
Transfer patties onto a serving plate and serve immediately.
More Broccoli, More Friends
Pre-Covid, Fran Costigan, Hannah Kaminsky and I enjoyed the tasting menu at Dirt Candy. I remember how much fun it was to all be together (more fun than you can tell from the photo), I remember being amazed by Chef Amanda Cohen’s playful way with vegetables, but the standout dish, the one I still remember — was her recipe for broccoli dogs.
Also friendly — Friendly Broccoli with Black Beans and Sherry, a cruciferous spin on sherry-laced black beans.
From Feeding the Hungry Ghost, Farrotto With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Broccoli, and Basil.
A broccoli recipe from one of the earliest known cookbooks, de re culinaria by Apicius — I count him as a friend too.
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