Hijiki Tofu Hamburg Steaks with Mushroom Sauce
These soft and juicy Japanese style hamburg steaks combine ground meat, silken tofu, and hijiki seaweed, then are finished with a savory mushroom ankake sauce. A comforting, nourishing dish that is perfect with steamed rice.
Adding silken tofu to hamburg steak makes the patties wonderfully light and tender without sacrificing their juicy, meaty flavor. Hijiki seaweed adds a subtle oceanic depth and a pleasant texture, making this a satisfying way to enjoy both tofu and sea vegetables.
The finishing touch is a glossy Japanese style ankake sauce made with shimeji and shiitake mushrooms. Its sweet and savory soy based flavor coats the fluffy patties beautifully, making every bite comforting and full of umami.
Serve the steaks with freshly steamed rice and a little kaiware daikon on top for a balanced Japanese home cooked meal the whole family can enjoy.
What you'll need
- 250 g ground beef and pork
- 200 g silken tofu
- 1/2 onion
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp consommé powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- About 10 g dried hijiki seaweed
- Kaiware daikon sprouts, to taste
- Cooking oil, as needed
- 100 ml water, for steaming
- <Mushroom Ankake Sauce>
- 1 pack shimeji mushrooms
- 2 to 3 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp cooking sake
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp Japanese dashi powder
- 1 tbsp potato starch slurry
How to make it
Soak the dried hijiki in water according to the package directions, then drain well. Finely chop the onion. Trim the shimeji and shiitake mushrooms, wipe them clean, and slice the shiitake.
Place the silken tofu in a bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. There is no need to drain it. Add the panko and let it absorb the moisture from the tofu.
Add the ground meat, egg, consommé powder, salt, pepper, chopped onion, and drained hijiki. Mix thoroughly until the mixture becomes sticky and well combined, then divide into 4 portions and shape into patties.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the patties and sear both sides until nicely browned. Pour in 100 ml water, cover, reduce to medium heat, and steam until the patties are cooked through and the water has evaporated.
Meanwhile, place the shimeji and shiitake in a saucepan with the mirin, sugar, soy sauce, sake, water, and dashi powder. Simmer until the mushrooms are tender, then stir in the potato starch slurry and cook until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
Arrange the tofu hamburg steaks on plates, spoon the mushroom ankake sauce generously over the top, and finish with kaiware daikon sprouts.
Tips
- There is no need to drain the silken tofu. Letting the panko absorb its moisture helps keep the patties exceptionally soft and juicy.
- Drain the rehydrated hijiki thoroughly before adding it to the meat mixture. Excess water can make the patties too loose and difficult to shape.
- The mushroom sauce also works well with enoki, maitake, or other mushrooms. Combining several varieties will give the sauce an even deeper umami flavor.
What to drink with it
