Light Bites Recipes - Fish Cakes with Cucumber Relish Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 kaffir lime leaves

• 300g/11oz cod fillet, cut into chunks

• 30ml/2 tbsp red curry paste

• 1 egg

• 30ml/2 tbsp fish sauce

• 5ml/1 tsp sugar

• 30ml/2 tbsp corn flour (cornstarch)

• 15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

• 50g/2oz cup green beans, thinly sliced

• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

For the cucumber relish:

• 60ml/4 tbsp rice vinegar

• 50g/2oz cup sugar

• 60ml/4 tbsp water

• 1 head pickled garlic

• 1 cm/1/2in piece fresh root

• ginger, peeled

• 1 cucumber, cut into thin batons

• 4 shallots, thinly sliced

Makes 12

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Method:

1. Make the cucumber relish. Heat the vinegar. sugar and water in a small pan until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.

2. Separate the pickled garlic into cloves. Chop the cloves finely, along with the ginger. and place in a bowl. Add the cucumber batons and shallots, pour over the vinegar mixture and mix lightly. Cover and set aside.

3. Reserve five kaffir lime leaves for the garnish and thinly slice the remainder. Put the chunks of fish. curry paste and egg in a food processor and process to a smooth paste.

4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the fish sauce, sugar, corn flour, sliced kaffir lime leaves, coriander and green beans.

5. Mix well, then shape the mixture into about 12 5mm/1/4in thick cakes, each measuring about 5cm/2in in diameter.

6. Deep fry the fish cakes in batches in hot oil for about 4-5 minutes, until evenly brown. Lift out the fish cakes and drain. Garnish with the lime leaves and serve with the relish.

Note: These wonderful small fish cakes are a very familiar and popular appetizer in Asia.