Asian-Inspired Tuna Cakes

Found this recipe in "The Metro St. Louis Guide to Smart Parenting" as a kid-friendly healthy recipe. Very simple and very tasty! The sauce rEALLY makes the recipe! The soy and panko give a nice twist to the familiar boring tuna cakes of yesteryear. Can be used as a main dish or as an appetizer. NOTE: Due to the concensus of reviewers, I have decreased the original 1/4 cup soy sauce to 1.5 tablespoons.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) can tuna in water, drained
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper (or more to taste)
• 1⁄2 small  white onion, minced
• 1  cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2  tablespoons  melted butter
• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
• 2  dashes Tabasco sauce
• 2  tablespoons  sesame oil

Directions

1. Beat eggs and then combine with tuna, soy sauce, pepper, onion, panko and melted butter.
2. Form into patties (make small ones, so everyone gets 2 for a meal) and chill in refrigerator for 20 minues.
3. In the meanwhile, make your dipping sauce. Mix the mayo, garlic powder, lemon juice, lemon pepper and Tabasco sauce (feel free to add more as you like).
4. Place dipping sauce in a sandwich size Ziplock baggie.
5. Heat oil in large pan.
6. Cook tuna cakes for approx 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown, turning cakes only once to get good color.
7. When browned on each side, remove and place on a paper towel to drain off excess oil.
8. Take baggie with the dipping sauce and barely snip off one of the corners of the baggie. Drizzle the sauce over the top of each cake.