serves
2
prep
20 minutes
cook
8 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
2
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
8
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 50 g (½ small) carrot, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander stems and roots
- 1–2 small red chillies, chopped
- 250 g skinless and boneless white fish fillets, chopped
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp yellow or red curry paste
- 3 tsp fish sauce
- ½ cup almond meal (see Note)
- finely grated rind of 1 lime
- vegetable oil spray
To serve
- 120 g rice vermicelli, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, drained
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1 small Lebanese cucumber, cut into matchsticks/slices/wedges
- ¼ cup coriander leaves
Dipping sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 60ml (¼ cup) lime juice
- 1 small red chilli, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 2–3 tsp caster sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Place an oven tray inside the oven to heat up.
To make the dipping sauce combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
Place the carrot, coriander stems and roots, chilli and lime rind in the bowl of a small food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the fish, curry paste, egg yolk and fish sauce and process until a paste forms. Transfer to a bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon almond meal. Place the remaining almond meal in another bowl.
Using wet hands, shape 2 tablespoons of the paste into 2 cm thick rounds/oblongs/balls (work gently as the mixture will be quite soft). Gently roll in almond meal and place on a sheet of baking paper. Spray with vegetable oil and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 8–10 minutes until golden and firm to touch.
Place the vermicelli, carrot and cucumber in bowls and drizzle over the dipping sauce (nuoc cham). Top with fish cakes and coriander, serve immediately.
Note
• This recipe uses almond meal as a healthier alternative. If you prefer to use panko breadcrumbs, substitute 1 cup in place of the almond meal.
Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Tiffany Page. Creative concept by Lou Fay.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
