Prawn fish cakes with coconut, lime and ginger
Learn how to make an impressive supper of fish cakes with deep-fried potato, avocado and a punchy Asian-inspired sauce.
Ingredients
For the prawn fishcakes
- 500g/1lb 2oz extra-large raw prawns, heads removed, shells removed, de-veined
- 50²µ/4½´Ç³ú mascarpone
- ½ free-range egg, beaten
- 25g/1oz finely chopped spring onion
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp grated garlic
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- pinch paprika
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 40g/1½oz fresh breadcrumbs
- ½ lime, zest and juice
- 1 tbsp garlic oil
For the crispy potato
- 4 potatoes, preferably Chippers, peeled and spiralized on the thin setting
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú potato starch or cornflour, to coat
- salt and pepper
For the coconut and lime sauce
- 150ml/¼ pint dashi stock
- 35g/1¼oz dashi vinegar
- 2 limes, zest of 1, juice of both (to make 50ml/2fl oz)
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú coconut milk
- 2g chopped green chilli
- 200g/7oz mayonnaise
For the avocado purée
- 300g/10½oz ripe hass avocado flesh (2 large ripe avocados)
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 8g fresh basil, chopped
- 3g salt
To serve
- 50g/1¾oz medium leaf spinach, wilted and seasoned with garlic oil
- pickled ginger shavings
- pea shoots
- perilla leaves
- marigold leaves
- edible flowers
Method
To make the prawn fishcakes, blend half of the prawns with the mascarpone and egg in a food processor to create a chunky paste then transfer to a large bowl.
Roughly chop the remaining prawns (about 1cm/½in) and season with the salt.
Add all the remaining ingredients (minus the garlic oil) into the prawn paste, then mix in the chopped prawns. Weigh this mixture into 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú balls, then press each ball into a 9cm/3½in ring mould to make a burger shape. Use the back of a wet spoon to level the mixture. Chill in the fridge until needed.
Heat a pan with some garlic oil then fry the fishcakes in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side and cooked in the middle. Remove from the heat and rest.
To make the crispy potato, preheat a deep fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
When ready to cook the potato, roll it in the potato starch then scatter in batches into the deep fat fryer, creating an organic roughly oval shape about 15cm/6in long and wide enough to cover the fishcake. Colour in the deep fat fryer on both sides until light golden and crispy. This will take 8–10 minutes each. The potato should be light, with gaps in, rather than solid and heavy like a rosti. Use a metal slotted spoon to carefully remove the potato when cooked, then drain on absorbent kitchen paper and season lightly with salt and pepper.
To make the coconut and lime sauce, blend everything together in food processor. Set aside.
To prepare the avocado purée, use a hand-held stick blender to crush the avocado and lime together very well, then mix in the basil and season with the salt. Cover directly with cling film to prevent oxidation.
To assemble, sit the wilted spinach on the base of a plate then top with the fishcake. Spread with 1 tbsp of the avocado purée then top with one crispy potato each. Dress with a selection of herbs and edible flowers. Pour over the coconut and lime sauce to finish.
