Daring Cooks February 2012 - Flipping Fried Patties

Thai Fish Cakes with a Cucumber Ribbon Salad

The Daring Cooks’ February 2012 challenge was hosted by Audax & Lis and they chose to present Patties for their ease of construction, ingredients and deliciousness! We were given several recipes, and learned the different types of binders and cooking methods to produce our own tasty patties!

 A variety of healthy and colourful ingredients

The main intention of this challenge was for us to understand how to form, what binders to use and how to fry a patty to perfection.  As we were given free rein on the type of patty to make I went for a recipe that is healthy yet which packs a punch flavour wise. I also wanted to make something simple as work is tiring me out at the moment.  

I wish I had more time to experiment but for now Thai Fish Cakes with a Cucumber Ribbon Salad will have to do!

De-seed a cucumber by using a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Toss all ingredients to create a light salad.

I came across this recipe for Thai Fish Cakes a few months ago and have made it a number of times and have always been well received. Served with refreshing cucumber ribbon salad, this makes a perfect entrée or a main meal. The multitude of flavours combined is stunning; fresh and light with a slight heat from the chilli coming through. The cucumber salad is refreshing and adds a really nice touch. Honestly each mouthful is an explosion of flavours!

 Top to bottom: Process fish, add wet ingredients, then the dry, finally shape the paste into patties.

These fish cakes are relatively easy to throw together – with the food processor doing most of the work. This recipe doesn’t require the use of any binders nor does it need to be coated. Plus this is a gluten-free recipe!

Thai Fish Cakes with a Cucumber Ribbon Salad

Serves 4 as an entree, or 2-3 as a main

Adapted from Thai Food

Ingredients

Fish Cakes

0.45 kg white-fleshed fish fillets (I used sole)

3 tbsp coconut milk

2 tbsp fish sauce

½ tsp shrimp paste

½ tbsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder (optional)

⅓ tsp cumin

¼ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp brown sugar

3 red onions, thinly sliced

1 thumb sized galangal or ginger, grated

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 red chilli, sliced

6-7 kaffir lime leaves, thinly cut with a pair of scissors

Cucumber Ribbon Salad

1 cucumber, deseeded and ribboned

1 chilli, diced finely

1 lime, juiced

½ tsp sugar

Fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Prepare the cucumber salad by de-seeding it and slicing it thinly by using a mandolin or a manual slicer to create a ribbon effect.
2. Add the chilli, lime juice and sugar to the cucumber ribbons and toss. Chill in the refrigerator.
3. Pat dry fish fillets and cut into chunks. Place in a food processor and process until fish chunks resemble a paste.
4. Mix the chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander seeds, brown sugar, shrimp paste, fish sauce and coconut milk in a bowl. Add the mixture to the fish paste using a fork/spoon.
5. Add the remaining ingredients; kaffir lime leaves, chilli, onions, galangal and garlic. Pulse with fish until it forms a thick paste.
6. Pick a small amount of paste (about the size of a golf ball) and place in your palm. Shape it into a fish cake and place on a tray. Repeat until all remaining paste is used. It helps to constantly wet your palms to prevent the fish cakes from sticking. If paste is too wet, add a small amount of breadcrumbs or flour.
7. Set the cakes in refrigerator for 10-20 minutes to firm up.
8. Heat oil in a small frying pan (enough to shallow fry).
9. Place cakes in pan slowly. Allow cakes to cook halfway before flipping. Fry until both sides are golden brown and drain on paper towel.
10. Add coriander leaves to the cucumber salad and serve together with fish cakes immediately.