Serve these spicy little pancakes as an appetizer—they’d even work at a cocktail party—or as part of a meal. They’re not especially delicate (in fact they’re pretty filling), and they’re frequently served at room temperature, so feel free to make them in advance.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 or more servings as a starter or side dish

　　1 pound firm tofu

　　1 pound ground beef

　　10 scallions, trimmed and minced

　　2 long hot red chiles or about 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

　　1 teaspoon black pepper

　　6 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

　　1 tablespoon soy sauce

　　Large pinch of salt

　　2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

　　2 eggs

　　Corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil for frying

　　1 cup instant (Wondra) or cake flour

　　

Step 1

Put the tofu in a towel and wring as much water as possible from it. Combine in a bowl with the next 9 ingredients. Squeeze the mixture through your hands for a minute or two, until it is very fine and well combined. Taste (you can cook a bit of the mixture if you’re worried about eating raw beef) and adjust the seasoning as necessary; the pancakes should be well seasoned but not very hot.

　　

Step 2

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Put a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and turn the heat to medium-high. Put the flour on a plate. Make the mixture into small pancakes, about 2 inches across and 3/8 inch thick.

　　

Step 3

Dip each pancake into the flour and then the egg, then transfer to the skillet. Cook as many at a time as will fit without crowding, adjusting the heat so they brown but do not burn; turn each after 2 or 3 minutes. As they finish, stack on a plate. Serve hot or at room temperature.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.