Sesame-Crusted Rice Patties

The Vegetarian Table: Japan, p. 59

1 ½ cups steamed rice, warm or reheated

1 tablespoon flour

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 large or 2 small scallions, trimmed and minced

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, preferably black

Vegetable oil, for frying

Place the rice, flour, salt, and scallions in a medium bowl. 

Beauty in simplicity.

With wet hands, mix until well blended. Form the mixture into 6 patties, rewetting your hands as you go to keep the rice from sticking. Sprinkle both sides of the patties with sesame seeds, set them on a plate, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

I only had beige sesame seeds, which didn't have quite the same aesthetic effect.

When ready to cook, pour a small amount of oil, more than enough to coat the pan but not so much as to float the patties, into a frying pan and head until beginning to smoke. Place as many patties as will fit in a single uncrowded layer in the pan. Fry over medium-high heat until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Turn and fry until golden on the other side, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a platter and continue until all patties are fried. 

Right out of the pan they stayed together nicely.

Serve right away.

Plating them was a different story, though.

My Rating: 3/5 "I'm conflicted about rating these. They totally fell apart when I put them on the plate and I was left with just a mound of rice instead of cohesive patties. (I don't know if that was a recipe problem or a me problem.) But that mound of rice was REALLY tasty. My partner went on and on about how much he liked it. So I guess I'll just call it a three and leave it here to see if y'all can do better with it than I did."