Thai fish cakes

John Torode
Blue plate with Thai fish cakes scattered with fresh coriander leaves and a bowl of sweet chilli dipping sauce topped with peanuts
The result – soft, springy fish with a textured coating - Yuki Sugiura

This is one of the easiest Thai snacks, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. The feel of the fish cakes should be slightly rubbery, with a textured outer coating. Lime leaves are actually “double” leaves in the shape of an hourglass, so the eight used here are actually 16 single leaves.

Overview

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Serves

4 -6

Ingredients

For the fish cakes

  • 100g skinless salmon fillet

  • 100g skinless cod fillet

  • 150g prepared squid (or cuttlefish)

  • 30g red curry paste

  • 8 lime leaves, very finely shredded

  • 2 snake (yardlong) beans, or green beans, finely chopped

  • 1 tbsp fish sauce

  • 1 large egg white

  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce

  • 200ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying

To serve

  • a handful of fresh coriander sprigs

  • sweet chilli sauce

  • 2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely diced

  • ½ cucumber, deseeded and diced

  • 15g roasted peanuts, chopped

Method

Step 1

Blend 100g skinless salmon, 100 skinless cod and 150g prepared squid in a food processor until smooth. Add 30g red curry paste and pulse until well mixed.

Step 2

Put all the other ingredients, except the vegetable oil, in a bowl. Mix in the fish mixture, then knead everything together for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. To achieve a texture similar to the fish cakes from Thai street stalls, you should literally throw the paste into the bowl several times to make the mixture more elastic.

Step 3

Heat 200ml vegetable oil in a wok or deep frying pan to 180C or until the oil bubbles up around the handle of a wooden spoon. Drop heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil and deep-fry the fish cakes in batches over a medium heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper.

Step 4

Serve the fish cakes with a scattering of fresh coriander and a bowl of the sweet chilli sauce mixed with 2 finely diced red chillies, ½ diced cucumber and 15g chopped roasted peanuts on top.

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