Although not authentically Thai these fish cakes are delicious but best of all they are quick and easy to make. They can be served simply with some sweet chilli sauce and a squeeze of lime for finger food or dressed up with a cucumber relish. You could even make a meal out of them if you stuff them into some little gem lettuce leaves and top with the relish. Don’t be too fussy about the amount of fish, I have specified 300gm but I have made these successfully with up to 400gm. You will drive your fish munger mad if you try to get a piece of fish weighing exactly 300gm. Most recipes recommend deep frying but I’m not a fan so I have just shallow fried these and they work out fabulously.
Ingredients
- 300gm white mild fish, I have used rockling, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 60gm green beans, cut into thin rounds
- oil for frying ie rice bran
To Serve
- Lime wedges
- Coriander
- Sweet chilli sauce
- Cucumber relish (recipe below)
- Little gem lettuce leaves
Directions
Add the fish, curry paste, egg, fish sauce and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Blend well.
then transfer to a large bowl along with the sliced beans.
Use your hands to scoop up the mix and throw it back into the bowl several times until sticky and the beans are incorporated. Line a tray with baking paper.
Using a spoon to put heaps tablespoon of the mixture onto the tray flattening slightly with the back of the spoon. They should be about 5 cm wide.
If you have time, pop the fish cakes in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up the mix a bit. When you are ready to cook them heat up about 1 cm of oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook the fish cakes in batches until they are golden brown on both sides and cooked through 2 minutes a side will be plenty
Serve the fish cakes immediately with any of the suggestions above.
Cucumber Relish
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- sea salt
- 1 small cucumber
- 2 shallots, peeled, thinly sliced
- 1 long chilli chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
Combine the vinegar, sugar, a pinch of sea salt and 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, cool. Check for seasoning.
Halve the cucumber length ways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and slice thinly on the diagonal.
Add the cucumber, sliced shallot and chilli to a serving bowl and enough of the sugar vinegar mix to coat well, mix, adding more of the vinegar mix to taste.
With the entertaining season about to go into full swing these fish cake would make a great addition to your menu. If you give them a go let me know how you got on and don’t forget to tell me how you served them. Alway after new ideas! Enjoy. Sheryl x
