Not Shrimp Toast. But Think Shrimp Toast, Okay? OK!

Chef Roy Choi has always loved shrimp toast. Growing up, he writes in his new cookbook, “The Choi of Cooking,” it seemed to have a magical quality.

Eventually, he learned the secret: it’s pureed shrimp slathered on toast and fried in oil. In this recipe, he substitutes shrimp with what amounts to dumpling filling: a mix of pork, beef, tofu and green cabbage. “I always thought dumpling fillings shouldn’t be confined to the dumpling,” he writes. Better yet, this recipe makes enough to feed a party. If you’re throwing a small party, consider making the whole batch anyway and freezing the leftover filling. It’ll keep for up to 3 months.

Makes 20 toasts (serves a party)

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces firm tofu

4 ounces ground pork

4 ounces ground beef

1 cup minced scallions

1/2 cup finely shredded green cabbage

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

1/4 cup minced garlic (12 to 14 cloves)

2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 large egg

Gochugaru

Salt

Neutral oil, like vegetable or corn, for shallow-frying (to air-fry, see below)

10 slices white sandwich bread

DIRECTIONS

Place the tofu between a layer or two of paper towels and press down to press out the water (or, if you have a cheesecloth, crumble the tofu, place the crumbles in the cheesecloth and squeeze the water out). You want to drain as much as water as you can, so repeat with another set of paper towels if you think it’s necessary.

Crumble the tofu and place it in a large bowl. Add the pork, beef, scallions, cabbage, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, egg and pinches of gochugaru and salt and mix to evenly combine.

Place a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add a touch of oil. When it begins to shimmer, take a small piece of the filling, flatten it slightly and add it to the pan. This is your tester; you’re going to use this to check the seasoning.

Cook until it’s no longer pink in the middle, then taste. If needed, reseason the mixture and then make additional tester patties until the seasoning is right. Pour in enough oil to come one-third of the way up the sides of the skillet. After about 2 minutes, pop a bread crumb into the oil. If it starts to sizzle with a bunch of little bubbles, the oil is hot enough; if it doesn’t, wait another minute and try again. Fish out the piece of bread and discard.

While the oil heats, spread a slice of bread with a thick layer of the filling, about 3/4 inch or so. Be sure the filling goes edge to edge, corner to corner. Place a second slice of bread right on top and slice off the crusts. Slice the sandwich into quarters to make 4 squares. Run your knife all around the little sandwich squares to smooth out the filling and seal the edges. Repeat with the remaining mixture and slices of bread.

When the oil’s hot, add the toasts and shallow-fry until golden brown. Flip over and when that side is golden brown, use your tongs to stand them on their edges and fry. In total, it’ll take 7 to 8 minutes to fry the toasts to golden brown and cook the pork.

Repeat with the remaining toasts. To serve, pile them all on a platter and pass them around the party.

For a better-for-you version of these toasts:

• To air-fry: Preheat an air fryer to 350 degrees. Spray the toasts with olive or avocado oil and place them in the fryer basket (depending on the size of the basket, you may have to cook the toasts in batches) and air-fry until the pork is cooked through.

• Instead of sandwiching the pork between 2 slices of bread, slather the filling on the side of 1 slice of bread. Add some oil to the skillet and heat over medium. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the toast, pork-side down. When the pork is cooked through, just a few minutes, flip and toast the bread until golden brown and serve it up.

Source: “The Choi of Cooking: Flavor-Packed, Rule-Breaking Recipes for a Delicious Life: A Cookbook,” by Roy Choi (Clarkson Potter, $37).