Banh Mi–Inspired Crab Cakes

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

An Asian-flavored meal can be difficult to achieve on a migraine diet, especially without the ability to use fish sauce or soy sauce. Pre-diagnosis, banh mi—Vietnamese-style sandwiches—were one of my favorite items to order at restaurants, so I wanted to get as close as I could to recreating those flavors with head-friendly ingredients. These crab cakes are an easy, full meal with the refreshing cucumber and carrot salad. Don’t skip the spicy mayo—it’s a must.

16 ounces fresh lump crabmeat

3 tablespoons migraine-friendly mayonnaise

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (rice flour for gluten-free)

4 green onions, chopped

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free, if desired)

¼ cup neutral cooking oil

HERBED VEGETABLE SALAD

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons honey

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 cup each matchstick-cut carrots and English cucumber

SPICY MAYO

2 tablespoons migraine-friendly mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Sriracha (sulfite-, citrus-, and MSG-free) or hot sauce

To make the crab cake mixture, pick the crabmeat free of shells. In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, mayonnaise, flour, green onions (set aside a few pieces for garnish), and salt. Mix with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Chill for 30 minutes or more, until mixture sticks together well; the colder the mixture is, the better it will hold together. Form the cold mixture into 8 patties, each about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Place on a plate. Chill until ready to fry.

While the crab cake mixture is chilling, make the salad: In a large bowl, mix together the vinegar, basil, mint, ginger, sesame oil, honey, and salt. Add the cabbage, carrots, and cucumber, and toss well; set aside.

Next, prepare the Spicy Mayo: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and Sriracha. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

When you’re ready to fry, pour the panko into a large dish. Remove the crab cakes from the refrigerator and coat each patty with panko on both sides, patting gently until it adheres. If you find that they’re falling apart, chill the mixture for a little longer.

In a large nonstick skillet, warm the cooking oil over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, carefully add the panko-coated crab cakes to the pan, which should sizzle when they contact the oil. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side, flip, then another 3 minutes. You want them to be nicely browned on both sides. Drain the crab cakes on a paper towel, then transfer to a 200°F oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining crab cakes.

Divide the salad among 4 plates, then place 2 crab cakes on top of each. Serve with the Spicy Mayo and the reserved green onion pieces.