Makes 20 x 30g patties
If you have ever eaten fish cakes in a Thai restaurant you will be familiar with their spongy texture. This is created by pounding the proteins in the fish whist you make the paste. You can use any white fish just make sure you remove any skin and check for bones.
500g white fish (basa, talipia, cod or hake)
3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 double leafed kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced (or the grated zest of 2 limes)
1 tsp soft brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 ½ tbsp fish sauce
45g watercress
80ml coconut oil or light flavoured oil
Radish Relish
125ml rice vinegar or white vinegar
75g caster sugar
8 large radishes, quartered lengthways and finely sliced
12cm fresh ginger
1 large red chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced
- Remove the skin and any bones from the fish.
- Chop into large pieces – roughly 5cm squares – and put into the bowl of a food processor.
- Blend the fish until smooth, scraping down the sides.
- Chop the kaffir lime leaves into ribbons and then finely chop.
- Add these to the fish.
- Add the curry paste, sugar, fish sauce and blitz until even in colour.
- Add the watercress and blitz again.
- Dampen your hands and take a small handful of the mixture (30g) and pat together between your two hands until the mixture is firmer and holds together.
- Flatten to form round discs and place onto a small baking tray.
- Repeat until all are complete.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and fry in batches until browned and cooked through.
- Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with radish relish.
You can freeze these once you’ve cooked them and reheat at 140 ̇C for 6 minutes or until heated all the way through.
To make the relish:
- Weigh the vinegar and sugar into a small saucepan.
- Warm over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Wash and quarter the radishes.
- Lay the quarters flat side down on a chopping board and finely slice.
- Put into a pretty small bowl.
- Wash (and peel if you want) the ginger and finely grate using a micoplane.
- Add this to the bowl with the sliced radishes.
- Slice and finely chop the chilli and add this too.
- When cool pour over the vinegar and sugar and allow to sit for 15 minutes or more
Serve with hot fish cakes and a watercress salad as a starter
Or as a main course with steamed jasmine Thai fragrant rice, pickled carrots, extra watercress, sesame seeds and maybe some crispy kale.
These can be made into “burgers” too. I suggest 120g per burger
Serve in a toasted brioche bun with sliced tomato, lettuce and watercress and sesame seeds with either a watercress mayo or an avocado and tahini “mayo”
