Thai Fish Cakes with Peanut Sauce

These Thai fish cakes are such an easy dinner! Serve with an incredible peanut dipping sauce and sticky rice and then save the rest for lunch the next day.

These fish cakes are just little bundles of joy 😍

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I love these fish cakes so much! We eat fish once or twice a week and I'm always coming up with new recipes for it like this parmesan breaded fish or these super quick salmon tacos but this quick and easy Thai fishcakes recipe might just be the best one yet.

I made these on a night when Will was out and they came together so quickly it made me so happy! I served them with some sticky rice which is one of our favourite sides and the most amazing peanut sauce.

You should honestly be making this peanut sauce to put on everything. It's so creamy and full to bursting with peanut and coconut flavour.

So to make these fish cakes all you need to do is to put all your ingredients into a food processor and pulse until chopped. At this point you need to make sure you're not blending too much, it shouldn't turn into a paste, you just want it to be chopped.

Then all you need to do is shape into patties and fry. One of my favourite frying tips for things like this (and my favourite salmon burgers too) is to waaaaaiiiiiittttt. Just wait.

Whenever these kinds of things fall apart in the frying pan nine times out of ten it's because they're moved before they've had time to develop that fried crust on the bottom. If they're not easily moving then give them another minute until you can slide the spatula underneath and flip them.

Thai Fish Cakes with Peanut Sauce Ingredients:

• Skinless Fish: Any white fish you like will do, it takes on so much flavour from all your other ingredients that it doesn't matter too much!
• Herbs and Spices: Thai red curry paste, coriander (cilantro) and chilli go into these fish cakes and give them super charged flavour
• Lime: For the zingy finish which is a key element of Thai cuisine
• Coconut Milk: To get your peanut sauce really creamy
• Peanut Butter: I always go for crunchy and I love that extra texture but if you have creamy then go for that. Use leftovers in this peanut and sweet potato stew
• Soy Sauce: For that salty kick
• Fish Sauce: I know, I know, it smells disgusting but it honestly makes the dish. Add extra to this Thai chicken recipe
• Brown Sugar: To add the sweet to balance out that sauce 

How to make Thai fishcakes

1. Add the fish, curry paste, lime zest, coriander, chilli, egg and cornflour to a blender and pulse until chopped but not paste. 
2. Scoop 3 tablespoons of the mixture into your hand and shape into a patty. Repeat until you've used all the mixture.
3. Heat the oil oven a medium high heat and fry the fish cakes until browned and crispy then flip and cook on the other side, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
4. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan and stir together over a medium heat then remove from the heat and serve with the fish cakes.

What to serve with Asian fish cakes:

I like to serve these fish cakes with sticky rice, chopped spring onions and of course plenty of that peanut sauce. If you need some greens as well then try some stir fried pak choi or spinach. If you're not into the peanut sauce or don't have time to make it then some sweet chilli sauce would also be delicious.

Are these fish cakes gluten free?

Yes, these fish cakes are gluten free as they corn flour (cornstarch) to bind them rather than wheat flour.

Can you bake Thai fish cakes?

If you'd prefer to bake rather than fry these fish cakes then I would recommend shaping them as instructed in the recipe then placing on a greased baking sheet and cooking for 15-20 minutes in a 200°C/400°F preheated oven until cooked through.

Can these fish cakes be frozen?

Once cooked, these fish cakes can be cooled and then frozen for future use. When you're ready to eat defrost thoroughly then they can be eaten cold or reheated in the oven or microwave.

Can I use salmon to make this recipe?

Yes! You can use pretty much any fish you like and salmon would work beautifully.

Can I use meat in this recipe instead?

If you're not a fan of fish then you can use chicken or turkey mince in place of the fish. Simply mix everything together in a bowl rather than using a food processor.

Expert tips for making this recipe:

• When blending the fish cakes mixture make sure to go slowly and only get it to the point that the ingredients are chopped rather than turning it into a paste
• These fish cakes also work served cold so if you've got extras then pop them in the fridge and eat the next day
• If you have left over peanut sauce then try serving it drizzled over noodles or as a dip for veggies, the options are endless!

Want more? Try these other healthy fish recipes!

• Thai Flavoured Steam Tilapia Fillets
• Baked Mackerel with Salad & Flatbreads
• Fish Florentine
• 15 Minute Salmon Pasta with Broccoli
• Baked Halibut
• One Pot Fish Stew with White Beans
• Tuna Burgers with Smoked Paprika Mayo
• Tuna Salad with Garlic Toasts
• Harissa Roasted Salmon with Potatoes

Recipe

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