Great Tasting Thai Fish Cakes
500 grms fresh reef fish, 300 grms fresh atlantic salmon, 1 small red onion, 50 grms fresh ginger, 4 cloves of fresh garlic, half bunch fresh coriander, 4 small red chili, 30 mls thai fish sauce,1 small Kaffir lime, salt and pepper, 1 lime.
The trick to great fish cakes is in the fish you use. I only use fresh Snapper or Barramundi as the flesh is firm, not too oily and truly white. I like to use about one third of weight of fresh Atlantic Salmon for colour and that little extra taste, mind you the cost is more but the result is amazing.
Put fish into blender and blend for only 20 seconds or so. Try the mix by using your finger to test the texture, what you want is some small meaty bits still left in the mix. If you do not have a blender, cutting with a knife is just as good as I've seen the Thai do it this way many times.
Next chop you onion ,ginger ,chili, garlic into fine pieces and add to fish mix, pull coriander apart using your fingers; dont chop with knife. Add lime juice, fish sauce, salt and pepper. Add juice of kaffir lime into mix and use a knife to cut off green skin and dice; then add to mix.
Now the secret to the great fish cake is in the Fresh Kaffir Lime Fruit not the leaves, they can be hard to source, your green grocer or your local farmer market may have them. If not go to your local nursery and get yourself a tree, you will never regret it.
Now start mixing with your hands, I always use disposable gloves, try to blend it as much as you can as this really gets the taste into it, finish by forming into patties to size you want. It can help to have a bowl of water close by to moisten your hands.
Let mix rest in fridge for at least one hour to let the flavours blend. To cook heat a none stick fry pan with some oil and sesame seed oil, cook till golden brown turning only once.
Serve with fresh mixed green salad adding some coriander leaves and dress with juice of a lime. You will enjoy these for years to come. Happy Cooking - The Schnitzel Bin
