Ocean Cakes with Tamarind-Cilantro Sauce

Ocean Cakes:
0.5 C (about 1 ounce) arame seaweed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 (14- to 16-ounce) block firm tofu, pressed, or extra firm
0.5 C chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
0.25 C mayonnaise
1 egg
1 Tbsp pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dry mustard
2 large basil leaves, minced, or 0.5 tsp dried basil
1 tsp picked/chopped thyme, or 0.5 tsp dried thyme
0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 C panko (Japanese bread crumbs), or unseasoned bread crumbs
0.25 C vegetable oil

Prep the arame: Rinse the arame in a strainer under running water.  Put in a bowl and add enough cold water just to cover.  Soak for 10 minutes.  Drain well, chop coarsely, and set aside.

Saute the vegetables with the arame: Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, and saute until the onion is soft and translucent (~10 minutes).  Lower the heat to medium, add the arame, and cook 2 more minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool.  If the mixture is wet, drain off any liquid before combining with the remaining ingredients.

Mix all the ingredients: Crumble the tofu into a bowl, then mix in everything else except for the panko and vegetable oil.  Sprinkle on 1 C of the panko and mix well.  Add more panko, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture holds together.

Shape and bread the patties: Make balls that are about 3 Tbsp in size.  Flatten them into patties 2.5 inches in diameter.  Try to smooth out jagged edges.  Just before frying, put the remaining panko on a plate or in a bowl, and press the breading onto each patty until they are well coated.

Panfry the patties: Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Put several patties in the pan but leave enough room to flip them easily.  Cook until light brown (about 2 minutes per side).  Remove crumbs from the pan between batches so they don't burn, and add more oil as needed.

Tamarind-cilantro sauce

1 bunch fresh cilantro
0.5 C tamarind concentrate or pulp
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp mirin

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Taste and add another Tbsp of mirin if desired.