Inspired by MasterChef judge John Torode's fish recipe on This Morning? Well, we've got a treat for you! Here John shares another delicious fish recipe, his quick and easy Thai fish cake recipe. This simple recipe takes only 16 minutes to cook so ditch ordering in that Friday night takeaway tonight and try giving it a go yourself - you'll not regret it, trust us!
John says: ‘This is one of the easiest Thai snacks, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. The texture of the fish cakes should be slightly rubbery, with a textured outer coating. They should contain a good amount of spice and lots of lime leaves. I have done my utmost to be as authentic as I can with this recipe.
MORE: You've got to try this hearty and healthy mango and tofu curry recipe, it's a meat-free treat
THAI FISH CAKES
Serves 4-6, Preparation time 25-30 minutes, Cooking time 4-16 minutes, depending on how many batches you cook
INGREDIENTS
For the fish cakes
• 100g/4oz skinless salmon fillet
• 100g/4oz skinless cod fillet
• 150g/5oz prepared squid (or cuttlefish)
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 8 lime leaves, very finely shredded (see Tip)
• 2 snake (yard long) beans, chopped
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 200ml/7fl oz 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 a cucumber, deseeded and diced
• 15g/1/2oz roasted peanuts, chopped
Photography by: Yuki Sugiura
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Blend the salmon, cod and squid in a food processor until smooth. Add the red curry paste and pulse until well mixed.
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.
3. 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.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or deep frying pan to 180°C 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.
5. Serve the fish cakes with a scattering of fresh coriander and a bowl of the sweet chilli sauce mixed with the chilli and cucumber and the chopped peanuts on top.
JT’s Tip
Lime leaves are actually ‘double’ leaves in the shape of an hourglass, so here I am using 8 lime leaves, so 16 singles
MORE: Try this healthy salmon and asparagus rice bowl - a low-calorie recipe that keeps you full
This recipe comes from his book, Sydney to Seoul (published by Headline Home, priced £27) where John embarks on a food odyssey creating delicious recipes that combine his straightforward Aussie cooking with the fantastic flavours of the Far East.
BUY NOW: Sydney to Seoul by John Torode, £27
