Ingredients
For the fish cakes
- 500g/1lb 2oz fish fillets
- ½ red pepper, chopped
- 2 red chillies, chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 stalk lemongrass, tender part only, chopped
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 125ml/4fl oz coconut milk
- 1 whole egg
- 125g/4½oz green beans
- vegetable oil
For the Thai cucumber salad
- 2 cucumbers peeled, halved lengthways and de-seeded
- 35g/1¼oz caster sugar
- 50ml/2fl oz rice vinegar
- 2 hot chillies, finely diced
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- 40g/1½oz roasted peanuts, chopped tbsp nam pla (fish sauce)
Preparation method
- Cut the fish into small pieces. Place the pepper, chillies, coriander, spring onions, garlic, lemongrass and fish sauce into a food processor and blend to a paste.
- Add the fish pieces to the paste and blend well. Mix to a smooth paste adding coconut milk and egg.
- Place the mixture in a bowl. Slice the beans finely into 3mm (1/8in) and stir into fish paste. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least two hours.
- Half-fill a heavy-based frying pan with oil and heat over a medium to high heat. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Shape the chilled paste into small patties with the help of a spoon. Carefully lower the fish patties into the hot oil, in batches (the oil should reach halfway up the sides of the patties).
- Fry until crisp and brown, turning once during cooking. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining fish patties.
- For the salad, cut the cucumber in to 5mm (¼in) slices.
- Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and toss the cucumber slices in it. Fold in the chilli, shallot and coriander.
- Sprinkle with the peanuts and fish sauce just before serving.