There was no duplicity involved in serving these broccoli-tofu fritters. My son, who has reached his picky toddler phase, knew that these contained broccoli and tofu, and he ate them anyway.
Yup, even I struggle to get my son to eat various vegetables. Maybe it’s a texture thing. Maybe broccoli looks weird (though he loved it when he was younger). Maybe it’s the texture. But there’s something irresistible about a crunchy patty that even a picky 2-year-old won’t turn down.
It helps that it tastes good, of course. If you want, you can use spinach instead of the broccoli. These fritters make for a meal that the whole family can enjoy – due to the flavor, and due to the fact that they offer well-balanced nutrition. Certainly more enjoyable than watching my son eat a meal comprised entirely of ptitim (yes, it happens).
You could serve them alongside side dishes such as a starch and a vegetable, though they contain both starch and vegetable so I didn’t bother. Or, if you’re my son, you could make them into a complete meal by eating them with bitter Greek olives (yes, really) followed by his own weight in watermelon. Toddler sensibilities, you know.
For about 10 broccoli-tofu fritters (depending how large you make them):
2 cups steamed broccoli (or spinach)
1 cup grated tofu
1/2 cup grated sweet potato
1/2 a medium-sized onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour or another flour of your choosing (to help the batter bind)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon turmeric (to enhance the color of the fritters)
oil for frying
breadcrumbs of your choice (I like panko) for breading
Pulse the broccoli in the food processor to create small bits. I pulsed thick stems separately from the florets because the stems take longer to grind. Transfer to a large bowl.
Grind the onion in the food processor. Transfer to your bowl.
Add the tofu and sweet potato to the bowl (I grated them in the food processor, also).
Mix the eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and turmeric into the vegetables. Stir well until everything is thoroughly combined.
Heat a pan on a medium flame. Pour some breadcrumbs into a bowl. Wet your hands, and take a golf-ball sized portion of batter. Form it into a thick disc, place into the breadcrumbs and coat well.
Add a bit of oil to the pan (we’re not deep-frying, but be generous so the patties brown nicely). Place a breaded patty into the pan. Bread some more patties, and fill the pan with them. Let them fry gently, flipping when golden underneath. Once both sides are a golden brown, transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
