Thai Fish Cakes and Chilli dipping sauce

We get fish delivered once a week. Some weeks it is fish we know, others it is a new type. This week was one I was not familiar with so we decided to try something new.
The fish cakes needed a bit more fish sauce for salt. The dipping sauce was great!

Thai Fish Cakes

• 250g/8oz boneless, skinless white fish fillets

• 1 egg

• finely grated zest of 1 lime

• 2 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro leaves

• 1 tbsp Red Curry Base or store bought thai red curry paste

• 2 tsp fish sauce

• 1 tsp soft brown sugar

• a little neutral oil, to fry

• microgreens or small salad leaves, to garnish

• 1/2 recipe Vietnamese Dressing (see below)

Vietnamese Dressing

• ½ cup Thai sweet chilli sauce

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• 2 tbsp fish sauce

• finely grated zest of 1 lime or lemon, no pith

• 2 tbsp lime or lemon juice

• 2 double kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded (optional)

To make Dipping Sauce, place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Combine fish, egg, lime zest, coriander/cilantro, Red Curry Base or curry paste, fish sauce and sugar in a food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times to a coarse paste. Do not overprocess – you want texture to the fish cakes.

Heat a little oil in a heavy-based frypan and, working in batches, shallow-fry tablespoons of the mixture over a medium heat until springy to the touch and cooked through (about 2 minutes each side). They can be made a few hours in advance, chilled until needed and reheated in an 180°C/350°F oven for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature garnished with microgreens or small salad leaves and accompanied by Vietnamese Dressing (see below)

Place all ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine.

Thai Prawn Salad

This salad is an absolute family favourite. It's fresh, healthy and really, really tasty. It takes a little bit of preparation but this can be down well in advance. My mandolin makes the preparation much much easier.
We have innovated the recipe I used to make by adding julienned green mango. A fantastic addition which came from an amazing salad I've had a couple of times at Mekong Baby. The quantities are not very exact, especially the dressing which I make and then adjust until it tastes just right.
I add and delete ingredients (some are probably not very authentic) depending on what I have in the fridge but the prawns, coriander, cucumber and peanuts are always in it.
The recipe below serves 3-4 but is easily increased to serve more people.

Thai Prawn Salad

Ingredients

100g vermicelli noodles

300g medium cooked or green (raw) prawns

1/2 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped

1-2 very green mangoes julienned

1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled seeded and cut into thin slices

1 capsicum thinly sliced

2-3 spring onions sliced

2-3 radishes thinly sliced

80g dry roasted cashews or peanuts, roughly chopped

Crispy dried shallots (to sprinkle on top to serve - I get these at an Asian supermarket)

Dressing:

30ml lime juice (from 1 small-medium lime)

1/4 tsp sesame oil

3 tsp Thai fish sauce

3 tsp grated palm sugar or brown sugar

1 small red chilli, finely chopped (I often use more)

Method

1.  To make the dressing: combine all dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar, shake and set aside.Try to do this well in advance of serving so the chilli infuses the dressing.

2.  Place vermicelli in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and soak until just tender (about 5 minutes), then rinse under cold water and drain well. I often toss a little sesame oil through the noodles to stop them sticking together.

3. If using green prawns, peel and devein the prawns, then quickly sear them in a little vegetable oil, over high heat, until just cooked, about 2 minutes each side. OR Poach in water with lemon, ginger, garlic and star anise until they change colour.

3. Combine the vermicelli noodles, prawns, mint and cucumber (and any other fruit/veges) in a large bowl and toss through the dressing. Pour any extra over the salad.

4. Spoon onto a plate, sprinkle with cashews or peanuts, dried shallots and serve.