Roy Choi recipe: Not Shrimp Toast But Think Shrimp Toast, Okay? OK

Chef Roy Choi has invariably loved shrimp toast Growing up he writes in his new cookbook The Choi of Cooking it seemed to have a magical quality Eventually he learned the secret it s pureed shrimp slathered on toast and fried in oil In this recipe he substitutes shrimp with what amounts to dumpling filling a mix of pork beef tofu and green cabbage I unfailingly thought dumpling fillings shouldn t be confined to the dumpling he writes Better yet this recipe makes enough to feed a party If you re throwing a small party consider making the whole batch anyway and freezing the leftover filling It ll keep for up to months Not Shrimp Toast But Think Shrimp Toast Okay OK Makes toasts serves a party INGREDIENTS ounces firm tofu ounces ground pork ounces ground beef cup minced scallions cup finely shredded green cabbage cup minced fresh ginger cup minced garlic to cloves tablespoon toasted sesame seeds tablespoons oyster sauce tablespoons toasted sesame oil tablespoon soy sauce tablespoon rice vinegar large egg Gochugaru Salt Neutral oil like vegetable or corn for shallow-frying to air-fry see below slices white sandwich bread DIRECTIONS Place the tofu between a layer or two of paper towels and press down to press out the water or if you have a cheesecloth crumble the tofu place the crumbles in the cheesecloth and squeeze the water out You want to drain as much as water as you can so repeat with another set of paper towels if you think it s necessary Crumble the tofu and place it in a large bowl Add the pork beef scallions cabbage ginger garlic sesame seeds oyster sauce sesame oil soy sauce vinegar egg and pinches of gochugaru and salt and mix to evenly combine Place a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat Add a touch of oil When it begins to shimmer take a small piece of the filling flatten it slightly and add it to the pan This is your tester you re going to use this to check the seasoning Cook until it s no longer pink in the middle then taste If needed reseason the mixture and then make additional tester patties until the seasoning s Pour in enough oil to come one-third of the way up the sides of the skillet After about minutes pop a bread crumb into the oil If it starts to sizzle with a bunch of little bubbles the oil is hot enough if it doesn t wait another minute and try again Fish out the piece of bread and discard While the oil heats spread a slice of bread with a thick layer of the filling about inch or so Be sure the filling goes edge to edge corner to corner Place a second slice of bread right on top and slice off the crusts Slice the sandwich into quarters to make squares Run your knife all around the little sandwich squares to smooth out the filling and seal the edges Repeat with the remaining mixture and slices of bread When the oil s hot add the toasts and shallow-fry until golden brown Flip over and when that side is golden brown use your tongs to stand them on their edges and fry In total it ll take to minutes to fry the toasts to golden brown and cook the pork Repeat with the remaining toasts To serve pile them all on a platter and pass them around the party Related Articles When dust is the goal Passover performers dishes that go beyond Seder to the rest of the week How to make delicious latkes with potatoes onion and eggs Celebrate Spring with a gluten-free lemon cake Recipe Vegan lemon mousse with cherry compote For a better-for-you version of these toasts To air-fry Preheat an air fryer to degrees Spray the toasts with olive or avocado oil and place them in the fryer basket depending on the size of the basket you may have to cook the toasts in batches and air-fry until the pork is cooked through Instead of sandwiching the pork between slices of bread slather the filling on the side of slice of bread Add certain oil to the skillet and heat over medium Once the oil begins to shimmer add the toast pork-side down When the pork is cooked through just a meager minutes flip and toast the bread until golden brown and serve it up Courtesy Roy Choi The Choi of Cooking Flavor-Packed Rule-Breaking Recipes for a Delicious Life A Cookbook Clarkson Potter