“Little Thai fish cakes – as sold on the streets of Bangkok – are almost always delicious, usually made with no potato and a lot of chilli, but here I have combined the south-east Asian flavours of lemongrass, coriander and chilli with potatoes,” says culinary legend Prue Leith.
Makes: 8
Ingredients
- 300g floury potatoes, peeled
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoons coriander leaves and stalks, finely chopped
- 1/2 green chilli, finely chopped
- 300g salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1–2cm cubes
- 3cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
- finely grated zest of 1 lime
- 1 lemongrass stem
- 4 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- salt and pepper to season
For the dipping sauce:
- 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
Method
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well, and while still boiling-hot, crush (rather than mash) the potatoes and allow the steam to escape – the drier the mash, the firmer your fish cakes will be.
Leave the mash to cool before stirring in the egg, coriander and green chilli. Generously season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
While the potatoes are cooking, whizz the salmon, ginger and lime zest in a food processor until they form a thick paste.
Peel the outer layer of the lemongrass and discard. Cut the stem in half lengthways and chop as finely as you are able. Add to the salmon paste, then add the salmon mixture to the cooled potato, combining well. Divide the mixture into eight and shape into patties.
Dip each one into the breadcrumbs to coat and put onto a large plate or baking tray. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up the fishcakes.
Place a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Heat the sesame oil and butter together in the pan until beginning to foam, then fry the fish cakes in batches, until golden on both sides.
To make the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients and pour into a small serving dish. Serve the hot fish cakes with the dipping sauce.
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Prue: My All-time Favourite Recipes by Prue Leith, photography by David Loftus, is published by Bluebird, available now.
Are you a fan of salmon fish cakes? Why not let us know how the recipe works out for you in the comments section below?
Also read: Smoked Salmon and Pesto Pasta
– With PA
