~ Thai-Style Broccoli & Jasmine Rice Patty-Cakes ~

I've been making this easy Asian side-dish for more years than I can remember and the recipe was inspired by no one except myself.  It was born out of my knowledge of and love for Thai food on a day when I was taking some leftover ingredients out of my refrigerator, namely:  cooked broccoli and steamed rice (and not enough of either to singularly yield more than a semi-respectable nibble for one person).  Then it occurred to me to combine them together, add a few Thai flavors from my pantry, bind them together with a beaten egg and saute them in a skillet (in the same manner the Thai folks make their fish cakes).  It was a worthy experiment, because I no longer rely on leftovers to make these and I'm writing a blog post to share the recipe with you!

These aren't true-Thai cuisine, I just refer to them as such because we love them so much!

Like their distant cousin, the potato pancake, my broccoli-rice patties can be served (along with the right topping) as a vegetarian meal or as a side-dish to grilled or steamed fish or seafood.  Under the proper circumstances they make a great foil for a knife-and-fork appetizer as well.  They're pictured below, all by themselves, drizzled with my recipe for ~ Would You Like Sweet Chili Sauce With That? ~.  The recipe  is in Categories 8, 13 or 20!

4  cups steamed jasmine rice, at room temperature (2 cups uncooked rice) (Note:  This recipe works best if the rice has not been steamed and refrigerated overnight.)

4  cups steamed and chopped broccoli, at room temperature (12  ounces large, 1 1/2"-2" fresh broccoli florets) (Note:  Chop the steamed broccoli small but not so small that it is unrecognizable as broccoli.)

1/2  cup very thinly sliced green onion, white and light green part only

1/4-1/3  cup minced fresh cilantro leaves (4-6 tablespoons)

4  extra-large eggs, at room temperature

3  tablespoons Thai seasoning soy sauce, preferably Golden Mountain brand

1  tablespoon Thai fish sauce, preferably Squid brand

1 1/2  teaspoons ground ginger*

1/2-3/4  teaspoon garlic powder*

1/2  teaspon sugar

1/2  teaspoon cayenne pepper

5  tablespoons pancake & waffle mix (Note:  This works so much better than plain flour.)

4  tablespoons peanut oil and 2 tablespoons sesame oil, for frying

freshly ground sea salt, for topping finished patties

fresh lime wedges, for topping and garnish

minced cilantro leaves or sprigs, for topping and garnish

Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, for dipping or drizzling

* Note:  I've tested this recipe using fresh garlic and ginger, but, the result is this:  fresh doesn't cook properly.  The rice patties cook just 3 minutes per side and in that time, fresh garlic and ginger simply don't have time to mellow and exude their flavors evenly throughout.  It is for this reason, I made this small compromise and never looked back!

~ Step 1.  Using the cup/measure from the rice steamer, place rice in steamer.  Do not use a standard Pyrex-type 1-cup measure.  Using the same measuring cup, add two cups of water to the rice.  Briefly stir, close the lid and turn the steamer on.  When the steamer turns itself off, rake through the rice, to separate the grains, transfer to a 4-cup food storage container, partially cover and set aside  to cool.

~ Step 2.  Using a Pyrex-type 1-cup measuring cup, place 3/4 cup water in the rice steamer.  Add 12-ounces of large (1 1/2"-2" sized broccoli florets.  Close the lid and turn the steamer on.  When the steamer turns itself off, transfer the florets to a large cutting board, chop them into small bite-sized pieces, transfer to a 4-cup food storage container, partially cover and set aside to cool. How easy was that!

~ Step 3.  Prep the green onion and cilantro as directed and set aside.

~ Step 4.  In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, soy sauce, fish sauces, ground ginger, garlic powder, cayenne and sugar until smooth. Whisk in the pancake mix to form a drizzly batter. Set aside 5 minutes.

~ Step 5.  In a large bowl, combine the rice, broccoli, onion & cilantro.  Fold in the batter.

~ Step 6. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside 30-45 minutes.

~ Step 7.  In a 12" skillet, heat the peanut and sesame oils together over medium heat.  

Using a 2 1/2" ice cream scoop as a measure, place seven firmly-packed 'balls' of rice mixture into the hot oil.  Using your fingertips, lightly press down on the top of each ball to form 7, 3/4"-thick patties.

~ Step 8. Saute over medium heat, until golden, about 3-3 1/2 minutes per side, turning only once. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.   Season tops with a grinding of sea salt.

Fry the last 5, in the same oil, as directed.

Note:  Do not over-fry or over-brown.  Ideally, these should be lightly-browned and slightly crispy on the outside with dense, moist centers.  They are quite hearty.  

Warning:  Over-frying will result in a hockey puck texture!

Serve warm garnished with fresh ciliantro a squirt of fresh lime juice and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce:

Thai-Style Broccoli & Jasmine Rice Patty-Cakes:  Recipe yields 12, 2 1/2" round, 3/4"-thick, 3-ounce patties, or, 4-12 servings, depending upon how you are serving them (an appetizer, a side-dish, or a vegetarian main-dish). 

Special Equipment List:  electric rice steamer; cutting board; chef's knife; whisk; large rubber spatula; plastic wrap; 12" skillet, preferably nonstick; 2 1/2" ice-cream scoop; paper towels

Cook's Note: As I mentioned above, broccoli-rice patties are similar to potato pancakes in that they can be served in a variety of ways.  They might come from two completely different cultures, but they're equally delicious and satisfying!  

My recipe for ~ Leftover Ham? Please Pass the Ham and Potato Pancakes ~ can be found in Category 9!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2013) 

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