Thai Style Fish Cakes 🇹🇭

These tasty fish cakes are my favourite entree to order when I dine in a Thai restaurant, and they are easy to make with all the ingredients available from the local supermarket, including the 'makrut' (also known as 'kaffir') lime leaves, which no Thai fish cakes should be made without.  Rich in natural oil, these tough, shiny, unusually shaped leaves emit an intense citrus fragrance giving whatever you cook a sensational flavour. I used wild caught Australian crimson snapper fillets in the picture above, but any white fish will give you good results.  Serve them as a dinner party starter, or a light main   course with a dipping sauce, rice and a cucumber salad.

Makes 6

INGREDIENTS

• 250g / 9 oz white fish fillet, roughly chopped
• 30g / 1 oz green beans or snake beans, finely chopped
• 1-2 makrut lime leaves
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 coriander plants
• 1 tablespoon fresh red cayenne chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• lime wedges, for garnishing

Dipping sauce:

• 50 ml white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon fresh red cayenne chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, to taste
• 1 small glove chopped garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ Lebanese cucumber, finely chopped

METHOD

1. Make the dipping sauce by placing vinegar, sugar, fish sauce and water in a small saucepan.  Bring it to a boil, stirring, to dissolve the sugar.  Remove from heat and stir in the garlic and chillies.  Let the sauce cool before stirring in the cucumber.
2. Remove the vein of the makrut lime leaves with a knife.  Stack the leaves up and roll them up tightly into a small cylinder.  Slice them into thin strips. 
3. Finely chop the coriander plants.  Use the roots, stems and leaves.  Reserve a few leaves for garnishing.
4. In the bowl of a stick or mini food processor, place fish and process until a smooth paste is formed.  Transfer to a bowl.  Add the chopped coriander, kaffir leaves, spring onions, chillies, sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and beans.  Combine all ingredients with a spatula.
5. Line a plate with plastic wrap.  Wet your hands before handling the paste to minimise sticking.  Divide the fish paste into 6 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball.  With the palm of your hand flatten each ball slightly into patties.  Place them on the prepared plate.
6. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok or a non-stick frying pan on medium heat until hot.  Place the fish cakes carefully into the pan and shallow fry them until browned on each side.
7. Remove the fish cakes from the pan and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
8. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.  Garnish with coriander leaves and lime wedges.