Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Fish cakes with a Thai twist

Salmon is considered to be healthy due to the fish's high protein, high Omega-3 fatty acids, and high vitamin D content .A 4 oz serving of wild salmon provides a full day’s requirement of vitamin D. That same serving contains over half of the necessary B12, niacin, and selenium, and is an excellent source of B6 and magnesium. Canned salmon also contains large amounts of calcium (due to the bones of the fish).

Omega-3 fats seem to primarily work through reducing inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation is turning out to be at the base of many health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancers and arthritis. Omega-3’s also help prevent the blood clots which cause many strokes.

With all this said we are not too fond of Salmon when it is prepared in the traditional Indian way .To include it in our diet it is usually made into cutlets or sometimes baked/Broiled.This is kind of a healthier version of cutlets .In cutlets we use eggs, bread crumbs and then deep fry the patties. Here no eggs,no breadcrumbs, very little potato and very little oil is used.

Spinach is never added to fish cakes , I was not in a mood to stir fry the spinach for a side dish so just added it in.It tasted good and was very colourful too.Since we add very little potato as a binder the fishcakes break easily so they need to be handled with care.

Ingredients:
  1. Canned Atlantic salmon - 1 14 oz can(you could use fresh or canned any variety of cooked fish)
  2. Red skin potatoes - 2 small (scrubbed cut and cooked in the microwave with skin on)
  3. Shallots - 4 sliced thin
  4. Spring Onions - 4 stalks cut fine
  5. Garlic - 4 cloves crushed and chopped fine
  6. ginger - 1/4 th tsp chopped
  7. Green chillies - 2 chopped fine
  8. Sambal olek - 1 tsp
  9. Fish sauce - 1.5 tsp
  10. Soy sauce - 1.5tsp
  11. Oil - 2 tbsp
  12. Chinese spinach - 2 hand fulls (optional - I had some leftover so added it)
Method:
Drain the salmon and leave it in big chunks.
Mash the potatoes with a fork and keep aside.
Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in a pan and saute the slices shallots,garlic,ginger,green chillies and spring onions with .5 tsp of fish sauce and sou sauce each.
Add in the cut spinach and cook on high flame until the spinach wilts and the water is gone.
Mix this with the mashed potato.
Add the remaining fish sauce, Soy sauce and sambal olek and incorporate with your hands.
Fold in the flaked fish and form into patties and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide flat non stick pan and saute the fish cakes until they turn brown on the outside .Turn and saute the other side.
Serve with salad or as a sandwich.

5 comments:

  1. Thats a great recipe! Wonderful idea!Healthy 2.

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  2. Sambal Olek is a spicy Red chilly , vinegar, salt and garlic based paste.Some times shrimp paste is added to it .It is served as a dipping sauce with vietnamese and Thai food. You get it in Oriental stores .You could substitute wih Sirracha chilly sauce or even red chilly paste.

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