Thai Fish Cakes

Method

1. 01

   Chill every mixing surface

   Put fish cubes, food-processor bowl, blade, egg, and a metal mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes. They should be very cold but not frozen; cold protein forms an elastic paste instead of leaking water.

   

2. 02

   Process to a tacky paste

   Pulse fish 10 times, scrape, then process 45–60 seconds until smooth and tacky. Add curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, and egg; process 30 seconds more, stopping if the mixture warms above 10°C.

   

3. 03

   Beat in beans and lime leaf

   Transfer paste to the cold metal bowl, add long beans and lime-leaf shreds, and slap-stir in one direction for 3–4 minutes until the mixture pulls away from the bowl in a cohesive mass. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

   

4. 04

   Fry one safety tester

   Heat oil in a deep pot to 170°C, no more than one-third full. Shape 20 g paste into a 1 cm-thick patty with wet hands and fry 2–3 minutes, turning once, until 63°C at the centre; drain, cool briefly, and taste for seasoning.

   

5. 05

   Adjust the raw paste once

   If the tester is underseasoned, knead in at most 5 ml fish sauce; if too salty, knead in 50 g additional cold minced fish. Chill 10 minutes again and do not taste raw paste.

   

6. 06

   Shape equal thin cakes

   With wet hands, divide paste into 24 portions of about 35 g and flatten each to 6 cm wide and 1 cm thick. Arrange on an oiled tray in one layer and keep chilled until each batch enters the oil.

   

7. 07

   Fry at a stable 170°C

   Fry six cakes at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until puffed, deep golden, and at least 63°C at the centre. Let oil return to 170°C between batches and drain cakes on a rack, not paper where steam softens them.

   

8. 08

   Mix fresh sauce and serve

   Mix sweet chile sauce with cucumber, peanuts, and half the cilantro just before serving. Arrange hot fish cakes with the sauce on the side and remaining cilantro; serve within 15 minutes while the edges are resilient and crisp.