Name: Thai Fish Cakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 500g (1lb 2oz) meaty fish fillets, such as lemon sole, cod or salmon, skinned; 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro) (optional); 1 tsp sugar (optional); 3–4 tbsp homemade Thai red curry paste or 2 tbsp; shop-bought paste); 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (gluten-free brands are available); 1 tbsp lime juice; 1 medium egg (optional); 1 tbsp tapioca starch; 3 lime leaves, stalks removed and finely julienned; 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced; 8 green (string) beans, thinly sliced; 5 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil

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These Thai fish cakes are the best! I promise.

One of the most popular starters at Thai restaurants is Thai fish cakes. These little fish patties are packed with flavour and are so good dipped into a good Thai sauce such as sriracha. This Thai fish cakes recipe is from my cookbook ‘The Curry Guy Thai’ which also includes some amazing Thai sauces that will go well with these fish cakes.

About this Thai fish cakes recipe

This is a recipe I developed after trying many different recipe for Thai fish cakes. Most version include egg which is used as a binder. In this recipe, you have that option but personally I prefer the texture without the egg.

That is how I make Thai fish cakes most often.

Working ahead

You can prepare the fish cakes a day or so ahead of cooking. That said, you will get best results using the freshest fish you can get your hands on so make sure your fish is really fresh before deciding to work ahead.

Can Thai fish cakes be frozen?

Yes. In fact they freeze quite well. You should, however prepare and freeze the fish cakes before frying.

Then just let the fish cakes defrost and fry as in the recipe.

What do you serve with Thai fish cakes?

Thai fish cakes are great served on their own, simply with a dipping sauce or two like those in the recipe below.

You might, however like to make your Thai fish cakes part of a larger Thai feast. I have you covered! Why not follow your Thai fish cakes with a good curry such as Thai green curry, red curry, yellow curry, Massaman curry or panang curry. Just one of these would be good but you might want to try them all.

Do you like Thai noodles? Why not try Thai drunken noodles, pad si eew or the most famous of them all pad Thai?

A good steak is also nice. Give this weeping tiger steak a go!

Yield: 4

Thai Fish Cakes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

500g (1lb 2oz) meaty fish fillets, such as lemon sole, cod or salmon, skinned
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro) (optional)
1 tsp sugar (optional)
3–4 tbsp homemade Thai red curry paste or 2 tbsp
shop-bought paste)
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (gluten-free brands are available)
1 tbsp lime juice
1 medium egg (optional)
1 tbsp tapioca starch
3 lime leaves, stalks removed and finely julienned
2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
8 green (string) beans, thinly sliced
5 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil

Instructions

Place the fish in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients up to and including the lime juice. If you are using egg for a spongier fishcake, add it at this point too.
Blend until you have a fine fish paste. It is worth blending for a few minutes as the heat from your blender will help thicken the paste.
Transfer to a bowl and add the tapioca starch, lime leaves, spring onions (scallions) and beans and mix well with your hands.
Divide into twelve patties. I often fry a spoonful of the paste to test for seasoning, then adjust if necessary.
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the fishcakes, in batches of about three or four, for about 2 minutes on one side, then flip over to cook the other side until they are nicely browned and cooked through.
Each batch should only take about 4 minutes. Serve hot.