Thai fish cakes with sweet dipping sauce recipe
 You can make your own Thai red curry paste for these fish cakes if you wish but you can get away with a good-quality bought one. The secret to forming the quite sloppy mixture is wet hands - honest it works. 500g/1lb 2oz skinned and pin-boned halibut fillet, chopped 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce1 dessertspoon Thai red curry paste 1 lime leaf, finely sliced1 thumb-sized piece galangal, chopped finely1 stick lemongrass (the soft bit only), finely sliced1 coriander root and leaves, chopped 1 free-range egg1 tsp grated palm sugar50g/1¾oz snake beans, sliced thinly (alternatively use French beans)½ lime, juice onlyplain flour, for dusting 3 tbsp groundnut oil, for shallow frying 500g/1lb 2oz skinned and pin-boned halibut fillet, chopped 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce 1 dessertspoon Thai red curry paste 1 lime leaf, finely sliced 1 thumb-sized piece galangal, chopped finely 1 stick lemongrass (the soft bit only), finely sliced 1 coriander root and leaves, chopped 1 free-range egg 1 tsp grated palm sugar 50g/1¾oz snake beans, sliced thinly (alternatively use French beans) ½ lime, juice only plain flour, for dusting 3 tbsp groundnut oil, for shallow frying 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar2 tbsp clear honey½ lime, juice only1 tbsp Thai fish sauce100g/3½oz cucumber, skinned, cored and diced50g/1¾oz carrot, finely diced1 shallot, finely diced2 birds’-eye chillies, seeds removed (if liked), sliced thinly 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp clear honey ½ lime, juice only 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce 100g/3½oz cucumber, skinned, cored and diced 50g/1¾oz carrot, finely diced 1 shallot, finely diced 2 birds’-eye chillies, seeds removed (if liked), sliced thinly Method For the fish cakes, place the fish, fish sauce, red curry paste, lime leaf, galangal, lemongrass, coriander root, egg, palm sugar, beans, and lime juice in a food processor and blend to a paste. Alternatively this can be done in a pestle and mortar – pound the ingredients to a jelly-like paste.Remove and, with damp hands, take a piece about the size of a walnut. Roll it into a ball and then flatten it to a thin disc. Lay on a floured plate. Repeat until all the mixture has been used. Refrigerate until ready to cook.For the dip, beat together the vinegar, honey, two tablespoons of water, the lime juice and fish sauce. Taste and adjust the honey and lime juice to get it sweeter or sourer, however you want it. Add the cucumber, carrot, shallot and chilli. Leave for 30 minutes to an hour for the flavours to develop.Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan and cook the fish cakes until golden-brown all over – this should take a couple of minutes on either side. For the fish cakes, place the fish, fish sauce, red curry paste, lime leaf, galangal, lemongrass, coriander root, egg, palm sugar, beans, and lime juice in a food processor and blend to a paste. Alternatively this can be done in a pestle and mortar – pound the ingredients to a jelly-like paste. For the fish cakes, place the fish, fish sauce, red curry paste, lime leaf, galangal, lemongrass, coriander root, egg, palm sugar, beans, and lime juice in a food processor and blend to a paste. Alternatively this can be done in a pestle and mortar – pound the ingredients to a jelly-like paste. Remove and, with damp hands, take a piece about the size of a walnut. Roll it into a ball and then flatten it to a thin disc. Lay on a floured plate. Repeat until all the mixture has been used. Refrigerate until ready to cook. Remove and, with damp hands, take a piece about the size of a walnut. Roll it into a ball and then flatten it to a thin disc. Lay on a floured plate. Repeat until all the mixture has been used. Refrigerate until ready to cook. For the dip, beat together the vinegar, honey, two tablespoons of water, the lime juice and fish sauce. Taste and adjust the honey and lime juice to get it sweeter or sourer, however you want it. Add the cucumber, carrot, shallot and chilli. Leave for 30 minutes to an hour for the flavours to develop. For the dip, beat together the vinegar, honey, two tablespoons of water, the lime juice and fish sauce. Taste and adjust the honey and lime juice to get it sweeter or sourer, however you want it. Add the cucumber, carrot, shallot and chilli. Leave for 30 minutes to an hour for the flavours to develop. Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan and cook the fish cakes until golden-brown all over – this should take a couple of minutes on either side. Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan and cook the fish cakes until golden-brown all over – this should take a couple of minutes on either side. Recipe tips You can use halibut, sea bass, pollock or coley depending on your budget.