These Thai-style fish cakes are perfect for a healthy, tasty and light dinner or lunch. The fish cakes themselves are packed with flavour thanks to the lime juice, coriander and ginger and are finished with a delicious crunchy coating. This is a great dish to whip up over the holidays to share with friends and family. Serve with a simple salad, or with steamed rice for something a little more hearty. Add a hint of sweet chilli sauce and dig in!

Ingredients

• 300g fish (such as salmon, cod, haddock, gurnard or whiting)
• Sea salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil, for frying
• flour, for dredging
• 3-4 lime leaves
• 1 large red chilli
• 4cm in piece fresh root ginger
• 2 garlic gloves 
• 2 stalks lemon grass
• 200g potatoes, cooked, mashed and cooled (about two medium potatoes)
• 2 tsp fish sauce, or to taste
• small handful of fresh coriander, root included
• 1 lime, juice only

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Skin the fish and remove any bones. 
2. Place the fish in a roasting tray and season with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 7-8 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool. 
3. While the fish is roasting prepare remaining ingredients. Finely chop the lime leaves. 
4. Slice the chilli in half and remove the seeds. Finely chop. 
5. Peel the ginger and finely chop. 
6. Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife blade, then peel and finely chop.
7. Bruise the lemongrass stalks with a heavy knife. Trim off the root end and discard the tough outer leaves. Finely chop. 
8. Chop the limes leaves, chilli, ginger and lemongrass until all ingredients are very finely chopped.
9. Place the finely chopped ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the mashed potato and a hint of dish sauce. 
10. Break up the cooled fish and add it to the bowl. Mix the ingredients together well. 
11. Finely chop the coriander and add to the bowl with a squeeze of lime juice. Mix thoroughly. 
12. Heat the vegetable oil or olive oil in non-stick frying pan. Form the fish mixture into small cakes about 6cm-8cm wide. 
13. Dredge the fish cakes in the flour to coat, shaking off the excess. Fry the fish cakes in the hot oil for 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly browned. 
14. Serve the fish cakes with a squeeze of fresh lime and some sweet chilli sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Have you made fish cakes before?