Get Premium access to all the latest content online
Subscribe and view full print editions online... Subscribe
Thai fishcakes
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 400g skinless thick white fish fillets, such as cod, haddock or pollack, pin-boned
- 200g raw king or tiger prawns, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
- 80g red curry paste
- 2tbsp fish sauce
- pinch caster sugar
- 10 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
- 10g Thai basil leaves or regular basil, finely chopped
- 40g snake beans or fine French beans, very thinly sliced
- 10g krachai (wild ginger), finely chopped (optional)
- vegetable oil, for greasing and deep-frying
- 100ml sweet chilli sauce or sriracha sauce, to serve
- 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
For the relish
- 1⁄2 cucumber, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 1 banana shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 large red chilli, deseeded and chopped
- 1tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped
Method
Put the fish and prawns in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Spoon the mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the red curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, kaffir lime leaves, basil, beans, and krachai, if using.
Lightly grease your hands with a little vegetable oil (or use disposable gloves) and knead the fish mixture until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined into a smooth paste. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow the mixture to firm up.
When ready, roll the fish mixture into 12 x 3cm balls. Place the balls on a lightly oiled tray and gently press each one down to form a patty, around 5mm thick. Cover and refrigerate for around 30 minutes to firm up.
Meanwhile, make the cucumber and peanut relish. Put the cucumber, shallot and chilli in a serving bowl and mix in 1tbsp of the sweet chilli tomato sauce. Sprinkle the peanuts over the top, then set aside.
Pour enough oil into a large wok (use a wok stand to keep the pan stable), saucepan or deep-fat fryer to deep-fry the fishcakes. Heat the oil to 180C/350F or until a cube of day-old bread turns crisp and golden in 45 seconds.
Place 4 of the fishcakes into the hot oil and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes, then turn them over using a slotted spoon or chopstick and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until crisp and golden. Scoop out the fishcakes with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat twice more to make 12 fishcakes in total, keeping the cooked fishcakes warm in a low oven.
Spoon the remaining sweet chilli tomato sauce over the cucumber relish. Arrange the fritters on a serving plate and serve with the cucumber relish for scooping, and wedges of lime.
Advertisement