Thai Fish Cakes

How to Make Thai Fish Cakes

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1. Put the fish, curry paste, fish sauce, egg, sugar and cornflour in a food processor and process for about 1 minute until it forms a smooth, sticky paste, scraping down the sides once or twice.

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2. Scrape the paste into a bowl and fold in the green beans, lime leaves and coriander.

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3. Wet your hands and shape the mixture into 16 flat patties, about 5 cm across and 1.5 cm thick.

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4. Heat half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.

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5. Fry half the fish cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Lift onto kitchen paper.

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6. Fry the rest in the remaining oil, and serve hot with sweet chilli sauce and cucumber slices.

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Tips for Making Thai Fish Cakes

• Process the fish for a full minute. It breaks down the proteins and makes the paste sticky, which is what gives the fish cakes their bouncy texture.
• Wet your hands each time you shape one. The mixture is very sticky and clings to dry fingers.
• Fry over medium-high heat. Too hot and the outside burns before the middle is cooked, and too cool and they absorb oil.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the chilli in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.

What to Serve with Thai Fish Cakes

• Sweet chilli sauce
• Cucumber and peanut relish
• Steamed jasmine rice

Storing & Reheating Thai Fish Cakes

Best eaten hot. The uncooked patties keep in the fridge for up to 1 day, and cooked fish cakes keep for 2 days and reheat in a hot oven for 8 minutes. They freeze for up to 2 months.

Thai Fish Cakes FAQ: Common Questions

Thai Fish Cakes Nutrition

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.