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Close up of Thai Fish Cakes on a large round platter with a bowl of Sweet Chilli Mayo in the middle.

Thai Fish Cakes

Whenever I make these Thai Fish Cakes I am always asked for the recipe. They are light, full of flavour, and a real crowd favourite. A great finger food or starter that is sure to impress your guests or family and they are surprisingly easy to make. Oh and they are gluten-free too!
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Finger Food, Nibbles
Cuisine: Thailand
Keyword: fish, gluten-free, thai fish cakes
Servings: 20 fish cakes
Calories: 90kcal
Author: Katrina | Katy's Food Finds

Equipment

  • food processor or blender
  • large bowl

Ingredients

  • 600 g firm white fish fillets, see notes roughly chopped (no bones or skin)
  • 1/2 red capsicum, (bell pepper) large, roughly chopped, seeds removed
  • 1 long red chilli finely chopped
  • 60 ml coconut cream
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp coriander, (cilantro) leaves and stems finely chopped
  • 3 spring onions finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp cornflour gluten free or regular
  • 100 ml vegetable oil, canola oil or peanut oil for frying
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a food processor, add the red capsicum pieces, chopped chilli and ginger and process in 2-3 bursts (scraping down the sides each time) until they are finely chopped.
    Add the fish pieces and coconut cream and process again until it just forms a paste (I like to have some very small pieces of fish just visible). If you prefer a more springy/rubbery texture, then process for slightly longer.
    Add the remaining ingredients (except for the cornflour) and process in a few quick bursts to just combine.
    You can now transfer this mixture to a bowl and stir through the cornflour, or using a gloved or clean hand, mix the cornflour in until combined.
    Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 3-4 hours to allow the flavours to mature and develop.
    After this time, roll your mixture into balls with gloved hands and flatten slightly into patties. I have a plate that I put them on with baking paper in between each layer. I often do this in advance and pop them back in the fridge for a few more hours until required.
  • To Cook: Heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Cook the fish cakes in batches, adding more oil between batches if required, for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
    Serve warm with Sweet Chilli Sauce, Dipping Sauce or Sweet Chilli Mayo. Makes approx 20 fish cakes.

Notes

  • Fish - use any firm white fish fillets such as Snapper, Red Snapper, Flathead or Gurnard. You can also use salmon. Make sure the skin has been removed and there are no bones.
  • Coconut Cream - my favourite brand is Kara brand as it’s lovely and thick, but I have used other brands as well.
  • Coriander/Cilantro -when using it in this recipe, be sure to use the stems as well as the leaves as the stems have great flavour.
  • Spring Onions - use the white and green parts.
This is a very easy recipe to follow. Once you have prepared the ingredients - most of them are just roughly chopped - they are put into a food processor.
I like to process the capsicum and chillies first so they get finely chopped before adding the fish fillets and coconut cream. Now here’s where you have a choice on what sort of texture you want to achieve. Personally, I like to have a less rubbery/spongy texture so I process the fish until it just reaches a paste but if you prefer a more springy/rubbery fish cake, then process the mixture for longer. The mixture is now refrigerated for 3-4 hours for flavours to develop so make them up in the morning for cooking later that day.
The more traditional Thai Fish Cakes are also deep fried, but I always pan-fry these and they are delicious and we actually prefer them this way.
Serve these Thai Fish Cakes with your favourite Thai Dipping Sauce or Sweet Chilli Sauce. In these photos I have served them with a combination of 1/3 mayonnaise (I use Best Foods brand) and 2/3 Sweet Chilli Sauce to make a Sweet Chilli Mayo. It's a very quick, easy and tasty option.
Once made, the Thai Fish Cakes will last 3 days in the fridge. They can be reheated in the microwave.
I have never tried freezing these as there is never any left to freeze and I do prefer to cook most fish dishes from fresh.

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
Have you cooked one of my recipes? I’d love you to tag me @katysfoodfinds or #katysfoodfinds!