This time, I’ve got an easy peasy protein rich appetizer recipe to share with’all that could please all those fit foodies & restaurant food lovers out there. It’s flavourful, healthy & you don’t have to go shopping to find the ingredients!
What makes this recipe special?- Fast- It won’t take more than 10-20 minutes including prepping ingredients to get this done.
- Healthy- It’s a healthy and at the same time, tasty recipe with high protein from the tuna fish and almost zero carb (carbs only used in the dip- 1 teaspoon brown/palm sugar)
- Inexpensive- Who stocks up on tuna cans cause it’s cheap & healthy, but only uses it for your bland tuna sandwiches and salads?
- I know, almost all of you- like I do. This is the first and foremost reason I would ask all of you to try it. This recipe from scratch only needs the cheapest (yet healthiest) ingredients already found in your kitchen pantry. Canned tuna is the most inexpensive seafood anyone could think of!
- Flavourful- Almost all of us adore Thai cuisine (including me) and are willing to pay at expensive Thai restaurants to have finest Thai dishes loved for their authentic flavours -spices & healthy comfort. This recipe here falls under the same category- but, easy thai!
How I developed this recipe?-I have eaten salmon fish cakes from restaurants around me, but salmon.. for fish cakes? Why, right? I feel like using salmon for fish cakes is not a great idea as fresh pink salmon definitely is pricey and better enjoyed in recipes keeping the flesh together- grilling to get that perfect crispy skin. So yeah, I chose tuna, which is easy to get all around the year and does not have to be fresh, as it’s all crushed and made to cakes.
-And then about making it low carb- most fish cake recipes call for bread crumbs to bind it all together, in this thai fish cake recipe you don’t have to use breadcrumbs or flour, as eggs along would do the job of binding all of it to the patties.
What you’ll need-For the fish cakes :
. 2 cans of solid white tuna
. 2 finely chopped- Thai red chilli (1 seeded & 1 de-seeded) or 1 habanero chilli pepper
. 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
. A Half inch piece of ginger- freshly grated
. 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
. 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions (spring onion sprigs)
. Half tablespoon chilli oil
. 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)-could used more chilli oil or peanut oil for people who don’t prefer smokey Thai flavour from the toasted sesame oil
. 2 eggs, lightly beaten
. 1-2 tablespoons oil, for shallow frying
For dip-. 2.5 teaspoons fish sauce
. Half teaspoon dark soy sauce
. Half teaspoon chilli oil
. Half teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
. 2 teaspoons lime juice
. 1 teaspoon palm/brown sugar
. Half of thai red chilli, finely chopped
. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
. 1/4 teaspoons lime zest (optional)
How to make –
For fish cakes:-Drain the tuna and add to a mixing bowl along with all the other ingredients for the fish cakes- except the oil for frying.
-Mix up everything with a fork & shape into small disc balls (~2 inches balls gently flattened up into patties)
-Heat the oil for shallow frying the patties in a thick bottom (preferably non-stick eg. granite/cast iron) pan, gently drop the patties and brown the top and bottom of the fish cakes by carefully flipping both sides.
For the dip:
-Mix up all the ingredients listed under the dip until the sugar is dissolved & everything else is well incorporated.
-Pour into a tiny dipping bowl
Serve hot fish cakes with the dip alongside & enjoy your healthy-tasty appetizer!
Notes & tips-- Don’t press the patties too hard as you want the cakes to be light & airy- not dense.
- Take care not to drop the patties before the oil is hot enough & not when oil is overheated as if dropped in above cases, the delicate patties could stick to the bottom & brown burn, respectively.
- You can use the cilantro dip recipe as a stir fry sauce for your poultry, meat , seafood and veggies later on ,with an addition of little cornflour dissolved in it .
- Tangy cilantro dip can also be enjoyed as an accompaniment for sushis & dumplings with thinly sliced ginger strands.