500gwhite fish filletsskinless and boneless, (ling, basa or see notes for other varieties)
3tablespoonsThai red curry paste
1tablespoon(20ml)fish sauce
1tablespoonfresh corianderroot and leaves
1egg
1teaspoonsugar
¼cupcorn starch
2garlic clovesminced
1teaspoongrated ginger
½teaspoonlemongrass powderoptional
5Makrut lime leavesdestemmed and thinly sliced
10green beansends trimmed and thinly sliced
Vegetable oilfor frying (approximately ¼ cup)
To Serve
Sweet chilli sauce
Lime wedges
Cos lettuce leaves
Instructions
To destem Makrut lime leaves, remove the center stem using a sharp paring knife. Slice the leaf into very thin slivers. You can leave them as these slivers or chop them further.
Place fish fillets, red curry paste, fish sauce, coriander, egg, sugar, corn starch, garlic, ginger, lemongrass (if using) in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse and process to a smooth paste.
Transfer to a medium bowl. Add Makrut lime leaves and green beans.
Mix well using your hands to get a smooth, bouncy, lump-free fish paste. Pick up the paste and slap it against the bowl a couple of times until firm.
Have a small bowl of cold water ready. Dampen your hands by dipping your fingers in the water bowl. Scoop ¼ cup of the fish mixture and form 1cm high, round patties. Repeat with the remaining paste, wiping your hands with a tea towel and wetting them after every 2-3 patties. You will get approximately 18 patties.
Heat enough vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a skillet to cover the base. Add 5-6 patties to the hot oil at a time. Cook for 2-3 minutes then gently turn them over and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
Remove onto a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining patties. If they start browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly. If they take too long to brown, increase heat slightly.
Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce, lime wedges and fresh Cos lettuce leaves.
Notes
Fish - I use Ling for my recipe. It is firm and has dense, elastic flesh. Basa is a great substitution. You want a fish that is not lean and slightly oily/fatty as this helps bind the fish paste. Other firm textured, non-flaky white fish to use are Barramundi, Grouper, Cod, Catfish, Trevalla and Mahi Mahi.Red Curry Paste - I use the Maesri brand of red curry paste. It is a good amount of spicy, salty and savoury. It adds a delicious kick to the fish cakes without being overtly spicy. Some other good brands are Ayam, Marion Grasby (this one is properly spicy!) and Mae PloyFish Sauce - This adds saltiness and umami to the fish cakes. If you don't have it, substitute with half light soy sauce and half lime juice.Makrut Lime leaves - Also known as Kaffir lime leaves. If you can't find lime leaves, substitute with a teaspoon of lime zest.Beans - Snake beans are thinly sliced and added to the fish cakes. If you can't find snake beans, substitute with regular green beans.Corn starch and Egg - These are both essential to creating a starchy fish paste that can be shaped into patties. Corn starch (also known as corn flour) is the superfine white powder that is used to thicken Asian sauces.Garlic, Ginger, Coriander, Lemongrass - These are traditionally not added. But my local Thai restaurant adds some of these and boy does it elevate the flavour. These four aromatics enhance the other flavours in the fish cakes. If you don't have Lemongrass powder, you can substitute it with a teaspoon of finely chopped white part of lemongrass or leave it out. But make sure you add garlic, ginger and coriander.Cleaning - When you finish processing the fish mixture, immediately clean the bowl of the processor by filling it with hot water and scraping off bits of the mixture stuck to the sides and blades. If you don't do this, the fish and cornflour mixture will dry and be pretty much impossible to clean.Storage - Keeps fresh in the fridge for up to 2 days. Freezing is not recommended.