Prawn cakes with cucumber peanut relish

These South-east Asian grilled fishcakes make for a lovely, light dinner party starter, served with a chilli, cucumber and rice vinegar relish

  • Prep:25 mins
    Cook:10 mins
  • Serves 6
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 187
  • fat 4g
  • saturates 1g
  • carbs 18g
  • sugars 16g
  • fibre 0g
  • protein 19g
  • salt 1.3g

Ingredients

  • 3cm/1¼in piece ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 2 small shallots, halved
  • ½ red chilli, deseeded and diced
  • zest 1 lime
  • 600g raw peeled prawns
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar mixed with 1 tsp water
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 125ml rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp chilli flakes
  • 3 tbsp finely diced cucumber
  • 1 tbsp chopped roasted salted peanuts
  • 1 small shallot, finely diced
  • leaves of 2 Baby Gem lettuces
  • fresh mint
  • coriander

Method

  1. To make the relish, put the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins until syrupy. Remove from the heat and cool completely. When cool, add the chilli flakes, cucumber, peanuts and shallot, and stir together. Set aside.

  2. Put the ginger, coriander, shallots, chilli, lime zest and half the prawns in a food processor and blitz until fine. Add the remaining prawns and the fish sauce and pulse again, this time keeping the mixture chunky. Season well with black pepper, then form into 18 flat cakes.

  3. Heat the grill to high. Brush both sides of the cakes with a tiny bit of vegetable oil and place on a baking sheet. Cook for 2 mins on one side, turn over and brush with the sugar water. Cook for another 2-3 mins or until opaque and slightly browned at the edges. Serve the cakes with the lettuce leaves, herbs and the cucumber relish.

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