Fishcakes

With herbs & chilli

VIETNAM (BUT ALSO ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA)

These fishcakes are not at all like the British versions, which are, in the case of the better ones, crisp on the outside but flaky on the inside; or in the case of the not so great ones, more like potato cakes with a sprinkling of fish. These cakes are made entirely out of fish, and, like fishballs (see here), have a springy texture. The Vietnamese have a different trick to giving their fish paste a bite – a pinch of baking powder is usually added to the mixture to bring it all together. The results are a bit firmer and denser but perfect for taking on fragrant herbs and aromatics. Spring onions and dill are some of my favourite combinations with fish, but I also like using finely chopped coriander stalks. These often go to waste – a great pity because the stalks actually have more flavour than the leaves. Once cooked, these fishcakes are great added to noodle soups or tossed into stir-fries with noodles and/or vegetables.

Makes about 20 slices

• 500g fresh firm white fish*
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ice-cold water (or 1 standard ice cube)
• 2 bird’s-eye chillies
• 1 spring onion
• a handful of fresh dill
• a handful of fresh coriander stalks
• 3 tablespoons groundnut oil

1. Fillet the fish if your fishmonger hasn’t done it. Using a spoon, scrape the flesh off the fish, going with the grain/in the direction of the fish bones. Carefully feel for any bones and remove them.
2. Place the fish, fish sauce and baking powder in a food processor and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the water or ice cube and continue to blend until the paste comes together. The paste should be thick and smooth and you should see no flakes of fish.
3. Finely chop the chillies, spring onion, dill and coriander stalks. Add to the fish paste in the food processor and pulse a bit, just to combine. Remove and let rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour to help it firm up.
4. Form 3 or 4 patties by patting the mixture between wet hands. Steam for 5 minutes on a high heat until cooked. They can be refrigerated or frozen at this point, for future frying.
5. Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Pat the fishcakes dry with kitchen paper, then add to the frying pan. Fry until golden brown underneath, then turn and fry on the other side until golden brown all over. Remove and slice when cool.

Variation:
For fishcakes with an extra kick, blend the mixture with a dollop of leftover Thai curry paste or Nyonya rempah (see captain’s curry, here).