Kingklip Fishcakes

I was feeling like fish and we had kingklip in the freezer. Fishcakes found in supermarkets or restaurants are usually overly processed for me and lack the texture I like. Making my own is a preferred choice if I am going to enjoy them. These Kingklip Fishcakes can be made with hake as well, but then they will be hake fishcakes. They re-heat perfectly in the airfryer for 5-6 minutes at 180ºC. If you make them half the size they are a great snack for drinks or canapes with friends. And don’t forget the dipping sauce. The one I use in Darryn’s Dim Sum Potstickers is perfect

It’s important to cool the fish and potatoes down first before making them into fishcakes. This will help them hold their shape better. I wanted to bake them in the oven, but this method is not recommended for fishcakes, the best way to get them to hold their shape is by frying them. Make sure the oil is hot so that when the fishcakes are added to the oil they start cooking immediatly and are not sitting in the oil absorbing it.

Kingklip Fishcakes

Servings 18 fishcakes

Ingredients

• 2 tbls olive oil
• 1 tbls butter
• 500 g kingklip or other white fish of choice
• a few shakes of onion powder
• 350 g potato peeled and cubed
• ½ cup finely chopped spring onion or baby leek
• ⅓ cup finely chopped celery
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 heaped tbls fresh chopped ginger
• 1 heaped tbls chopped flat leaf parsley
• ½ tsp chilli flakes or fresh chilli
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 egg
• Thai rice flour to shape
• Oil to shallow fry

Instructions

• Place a frying pan on medium high heat
• Add the olive oil and butter
  2 tbls olive oil, 1 tbls butter
• Season kingklip with onion powder and salt
  a few shakes of onion powder, 500 g kingklip or other white fish of choice
• When oil is bubbling add the fish and cook until flaky and white, turning to ensure both sides cook evenly.
• Flake the fish roughly with a fork in a bowl and set aside to cool
• Boil potatoes in salted water until soft
  350 g potato peeled and cubed
• Drain and roughly mash potatoes and set aside to cool
• When fish and potatoes are cool, add half the fish and potatoes to a blender fitted with a blade attachment and pulse blitz to bring together. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the spring onion, celery, ginger, garlic, parsley, chilli, onion powder and egg and blend to a rough paste.
  ½ cup finely chopped spring onion or baby leek, ⅓ cup finely chopped celery, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 heaped tbls fresh chopped ginger, 1 heaped tbls chopped flat leaf parsley, ½ tsp chilli flakes or fresh chilli, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 egg
• Add the rest of the fish and potatoes and mix by hand to ensure texture is not too smooth and not too chunky. You are looking for something in-between. It must not be overly processed and neither should it be pureed like baby food. The magic of homemade fishcakes is a roughly texture while it still holds it's shape. Cool mixture in fridge for about 30 minutes
• When ready to cook, shape into 18 patties and roll in thai rice flour to coat them.
  Thai rice flour to shape
• Heat oil enough to cover the base of the frying pan and come up halfway around the fishcakes
  Oil to shallow fry
• Test the oil to see if it is ready by tossing in a cube of bread, if it sizzles the oil is ready.
• Batch fry in 2-3 batches depending on size of your frying pan, until golden brown
• Serve with a dipping sauce like the one I use for Darryn’s Dim Sum Pot Stickers – see notes below

Notes

 Darryn’s Dim Sum Pot Stickers

Tip

Use an ice cream scoop dipped in cold water to get the size of the fish cake consistent

Course: Appetizer, Drinks, fish

Cuisine: Thai inspired