Thai Fishcakes with Salmon, Cod and Smoked Haddock
Thai fishcakes are not British fishcakes. There's no potato, no breadcrumb, no filler. The mix is fish and not much else, which means the fish you use actually matters and the texture is completely different - bouncy, dense, with crispy edges that a British fishcake never gets near.
I developed this recipe a long time ago and the three fish combination stuck because it works. Salmon and cod give the cakes body and a good harmonious flavour that doesn't pull in different directions. The smoked haddock is my British side showing up uninvited and refusing to leave - a little smoke in the mix is a very good thing and it gives these fishcakes something you won't find in Thailand. The customers have always loved them. I've cooked them at festivals and weddings too, which tells you something about how well they hold up when you're producing them in volume.
The green curry paste is doing a lot of seasoning work in here. Traditionally Thai fishcakes are made with red curry paste but green works brilliantly and I've stuck with it. The easiest way to get the right paste is to order it next day delivery from Payst or pick it up from the Farang larder if you're nearby. Making your own is absolutely the best option if you have the time and the ingredients, but it requires brute force with a pestle and mortar and a fair amount of shopping around first.
On technique - keep them small. Smaller cakes cook faster and get crispier edges, which is what you're after. The oil needs to be at 180°C before anything goes in. And here's the move that makes the difference: pick up the wet mixture with your hand and squeeze it so some of the mix comes through your fingers, then drop the whole mountainous, pointy handful into the oil. Those irregular edges cook faster than the body of the cake and go properly crispy, giving each one texture and character that a neat, flat patty never will.
Thai Fishcakes with Salmon, Cod and Smoked Haddock
Serves: 3-4 as a snack or small plate | Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 15 mins | Total: 30 mins
Ingredients
For the fishcakes
150g salmon, skin and bloodline removed, chopped into small chunks
150g cod, skin and bloodline removed, chopped into small chunks
100g smoked haddock, skin removed
150g green curry paste (Payst green curry paste or a good shop-bought alternative)
80g palm sugar (soft light brown sugar works too)
1 whole egg, beaten
50ml thick tamarind water
80ml fish sauce
50g green beans, thinly sliced
2 makrut lime leaves, stems removed and julienned
2 litres rapeseed oil for deep frying
To serve
Sweet chilli sauce (Payst sweet chilli or shop-bought)
1 lime, cut into wedges
Fresh coriander
Thai basil sprigs
Method
In a small saucepan, gently melt the palm sugar and fish sauce together over low heat. Don't let it boil or the sugar will caramelise and go too dark. Add the tamarind water, stir well and set aside to cool completely.
Put all the fish, the cooled tamarind and fish sauce mix, green curry paste, green beans and makrut lime leaves into a food processor. Blend until you have a cohesive mixture with a little texture remaining - don't over-blitz it to a smooth paste.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in the beaten egg by hand. Don't use the processor for this - you want to avoid incorporating air into the mix, which causes uneven cooking.
Heat the rapeseed oil in a large deep pan to 180°C. To shape the fishcakes, pick up a handful of the mixture and squeeze it so some comes through your fingers, then drop the whole rough, pointy handful into the oil. Those irregular edges will cook faster and get properly crispy. Fry in batches of 5-6 for 2-3 minutes until golden brown all over. Don't overcrowd the pan.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately with lime wedges, sweet chilli sauce and fresh coriander.
Chef's notes
These are brilliant for bulk cooking. Make the mixture ahead, keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours and fry to order. They reheat well in a hot oven if needed, though fresh out of the oil is always best.
If you can't find tamarind water, squeeze the same quantity of lime juice in as a substitute. It won't be identical but it adds the acidity the mix needs.
Payst green curry paste and Payst sweet chilli sauce are available for next day delivery.
Visit us at faranglondon.co.uk. Sauces and pastes for cooking Thai at home at payst.co.uk.
For more recipes, signed copies of my cookbooks are available at Payst: Cook Thai and Thai in 7.
Head chef & founder of Farang London restaurant. Cookbook author of ‘Cook Thai’ & ‘Thai in 7’. Chief curry paste basher and co-founder of Payst London.