Fish Cakes can be so dull and boring. But THAI Fish Cakes are FABULOUS! A classic Thai street food and my favourite starter at Thai restaurants along with Chicken Satay.
Surprisingly easy to make at home – all you need is fish, red curry paste, egg, rice flour and fish sauce. Blitz, make patties and pan fry!
Thai fish cakes
If I order an appetiser at a Thai restaurant, 9 times out of 10 it will either be Thai Fish Cakes or Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce.
And both of these are irritatingly pricey at Thai restaurants for what you get! $7 for 3 piddly little fish cakes or 3 teeny tiny skewers with a midget tub of peanut sauce.
Homemade is 80% cheaper – and just as good as takeout!
Thai Fish Cakes are (in my humble opinion) the most fabulous fish cakes in the world!
What Thai Fish Cakes taste like
The main flavouring in Thai Fish Cakes is red curry paste, so if you love Thai Red Curry, fish and food made to be eaten with hands, then this has got your name written all over it!
The unique thing about these fish cakes is the texture. It’s like Asian fish balls, kind of spongey. I know that sounds thoroughly unappetising, to say they are “spongey”, but there’s no other word I can think of! 😂
It’s not an unpleasant texture, it’s just different to other pattie shaped things like fritters and sausage patties!
What you need
Best fish for Thai Fish Cakes
Most of the most common white fish fillets are great here, also very tasty with salmon and trout.
Great for: Ling, Tilapia, Snapper, Barramundi, Silver Dory, John Dory, Basa, Hokki, Perch, Flathead, Monkfish
Avoid:
- super lean fish (swordfish, tuna)
- delicate fish (flounder, Dover sole)
- small whole fish like sardines or mackerel
The BEST Thai Red Curry Paste – Maesri
For recipes like this where you only need a few tablespoons of curry paste, I typically use store bought rather than homemade Red Curry Paste.
The best store bought Thai Red Curry Paste by a long shot is a brand called Maesri. This is also the brand I use for Thai Green Curry. Other brands tend to have less authentic flavour and are (usually) too sweet.
Sold in small cans for around $1.30 (it’s the cheapest!), it’s available in some Aussie large grocery stores (Coles, Woolies, Harris), Asian grocery stores and here is the cheapest one on Amazon US.
**Don’t worry if you can’t find Maesri. This recipe is still great even with mainstream curry pastes.**
How to make Thai Fish Cakes
Place fish, red curry paste (homemade or store bought), cilantro/coriander, egg, lime juice and fish sauce in a food processor, whizz to mince;
Mix in rice or cornflour (cornstarch) and green beans; and
Form patties and cook.
Simple, right? Do you really need me to write out the whole recipe for you??? (Don’t worry, I did! I always do!)
A note on authenticity!
Thai Fish Cakes are a classic Thai street food that you’ll find all over Thailand, from Bangkok to the popular tourist islands like Pukhet and Koh Samui (I really need to go back soon, I miss Thailand!!).
Here are the 2 things I do differently to the real authentic Fish Cakes made in Thailand:
Inclusion of rice flour – Truly authentic recipes are made with fish paste which is starchy fish (yes there is such thing!) that has been fermented and is a pretty smooth paste. This is then beaten for ages (i.e. 30 minutes by hand!) to activate the starch and this is the secret to beautifully bouncy, spongey fish cakes. However, in Western countries, the same texture is achieved by starting with fish fillets, minced them and mixing in either rice flour or cornflour (cornstarch); and
I don’t deep fry! In both Thailand and restaurants, Thai Fish Cakes are deep fried. I really believe that very little compromise is made by pan frying instead of deep frying!
How to serve Thai Fish Cakes
A simple store bought bottle of Sweet Chilli Sauce serves well as a convenient version of the dipping sauces you get at Thai restaurants.
In terms of what to serve it with, Thai Fish Cakes are typically served as a starter at Thai restaurants.
To make a meal out of it, try these on the side:
Steamed Jasmine rice, Thai Fried Rice, Pineapple Fried Rice or Coconut Rice
Crunchy Asian Slaw on the side – great all rounder Asian salad that goes with all Asian foods
Asian Sesame Dressing for any fresh salad or steamed vegetables
If you try these Fish Cakes, and I really hope you do, all it will take is one bite to be overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity. These really do taste just like what you get at Thai restaurants! – Nagi x
More Thai takeout favourites
Pad Thai – truly just like takeout!
Pad See Ew – Thai stir fried noodles
Browse the Thai recipe collection
Watch how to make it
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Thai Fish Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 lb / 500g white fish fillets , skinless and pin boned, cut into chunks (Note 1)
- 3 tbsp red curry paste (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp cilantro/coriander leaves , chopped
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (sub soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup (40g) rice flour (or cornstarch / corn flour)
- 6 green beans , finely sliced (optional, Note 3)
- 4 – 6 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, sun flower)
To Serve
- Sweet chilli sauce
- Cilantro/coriander leaves
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Place fish, red curry paste, cilantro/coriander, fish sauce, lime and egg in a food processor. Whizz until the fish is minced and it looks like a paste. (See video)
- Transfer to a bowl and stir through rice flour and green beans until flour is all incorporated. (Note 4)
- Measure 1/4 cup of mixture (I use an ice cream scoop – Note 5), form 1cm / 2/5″ thick patties.
- Heat enough oil in skillet over medium high heat to cover the base (4 tbsp or so)
- Place in oil, cook 2 minutes until deep golden brown, then turn and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate.
- Repeat with remaining mixture, adding more oil into the skillet if required.
- Serve with Sweet Chilli Sauce, garnished with cilantro/coriander leaves and lime wedges on the side. Add a side of Thai Fried Rice or even just plain jasmine rice to make a meal!
Recipe Notes:
- super lean fish (swordfish, tuna)
- delicate fish (flounder, Dover sole)
- small whole fish like sardines or mackerel
Nutrition Information:
Originally published April 2016. Minor recipe updates to make cooking process easier, brand new video, photos, process shots and Life of Dozer update!
LIFE OF DOZER
Weekend Nana Naps often end with Dozer using ME as his pillow. It’s the wrong way round – I should be laying MY head on his fluffy, soft mass!! 😂
Flashback to when this recipe was originally published:
Snippet from Life As Dozer. He basically has 4 modes: playing, sleeping, eating food or hoping for food. He lives a hard, hard life, doesn’t he?
Can this be cooked in an Air Fryer? This looks amazing by the way! thanks for sharing.
Thanking you for this recipe. Very simple, easy to follow and definitely a success Love all your recipes..
Nagi
How lucky I was to find you. Your recipes are so easy to follow and turn out right!
Just love waiting for your next post. Interesting, motivational, taste wonderful and thoughtfully put out for great nutrition. WOW
Hi Nagi, love your site, recipes and comments …
I’m thinking of making these but but know …is red curry paste ‘hot, I’ve never used it
Remember being a 20-something first timer in Bangkok Sunday markets and making a piggy of myself with what seemed the most wonderful dish in the world ! A long, long time ago! Still make them regularly- friends and I just seem to wolf them down in the kitchen off the pan 🙂 ! Use Ayam paste more than most. Delicious ! Dozer – absolutely loved him acting ‘disgraceful’ at Geoff’s in the park on Instagram . . . what a wonderful series of mini-vireos !
How do you make everything look so amazing? I would love to learn from the master (you). I am a novice blogger and an older blogger at that trying to figure out my second stage in life. I just love your sight and am amazed at your talent. God has blessed you with an incredible gift.
Hey Nagi. Love your recipes and have cooked many! Quick question. Can you add the flour in the food processor or is there a reason to stir it in afterwards?
Hi Michaela! It can be done but can go really wrong! Blitzing it too long can activate the starch too much which makes the paste gluey and you end up with really tough fish cakes. And the length of blitzing time required differs from fish to fish. So it’s just much safer to stir it in at the end, I find. Thanks for the question, I’ll pop this tip in the recipe! N x
Very zen like for Dozer lying still💕. Luca is a fidget 😈.
Back to fish cakes. .I have a few tins of salmon in my pantry..do you think they would work for this fish cake recipe?
Hi Nagi! Just wondering if these can be baked or cooked in a pan without oil? They look delicious but I’m trying to eat healthier for the summer!
Oil isn’t the bad guy – sugar is.
I love this recipe. It’s the first thing I made from your site and it’s a big reason I’m such a fan. By the way, I have a kid who hates fish and I double this recipe and make half with chicken. Might not be as authentic but it makes it easy for me and the leftovers are great for lunches!
I’m gonna try this recipe with shrimp.
These look delicious! Any suggestions for subbing the egg out for those that are allergic?
Hi Nagi, we love your recipes!
I have some tips for making Thai fish cakes. You can minced the fish until it formed a thick paste and very sticky the end result will be even bouncy and firm. Basa fillets work well for this recipe. Also, thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves are added to the fish mixtures and instead of coriander so that fish cakes don’t taste too “fishy”
Hi Nagi
I just love all of your recipes and with some adaptions I’ve been able to make most of them keto friendly. To make these, could I use coconut flour in place of rice flour? If so, what would the conversion be?
Here to ask exactly the same thing. These look amazing and wondering if almond or coconut for would work.
This was hands down really good. Can you please do a recipes for plain fish cake as well ???
Hi Marie, feel free to pop it on my recipe request page – N x
Hi Nagi, I made a double batch of these over the weekend and they are heaven! Thank you so much for posting such great recipes all the time. x
You’re so welcome Sarah!
I love this recipe, tonight was the third time I have made them and we love them, so easy and simple and quick to cook. There are only two of us so have leftovers to freeze (unless I eat some of them first!) Thank you Nagi.
Thanks so much for letting me know what you think ❤️
Hi Nagi, I made your recipe exactly as you wrote (even down to the brand of curry paste) and they turned out wonderful!! I used basa fillets, and didn’t have a large enough food processor so just minced it by hand with a large knife. A bit more tedious but totally worth it! They turned out so flavourful and juicy. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I know before I ask….but I have such a strong gag reflex to cilantro/coriander in foods, Is there anything I can use instead of that item? Even the smell turns my stomach. I used to think it was just me, but have since read there is an actual genetic response in some of us (including Ina Garden, the Barefoot Contessa), suffer from this reaction. One restaurant chain, Casa Ole, in Houston, Tex. offers a chicken dish with Cilantro Cream sauce, that I can tolerate in small amounts. Now having bored you long enough, I would really like to know if there is a substitute for cilantro so I can use it in uncooked dishes, salsa etc.? Please help an Xtexgal figure this out! Thanks, Dee
Hi Dee, I’d either sub with parsley or just leave out ☺️
Hi Nagi, thanks so much for your awesome site – you’ve taught me so much about cooking!
About this recipe, what is your go to white fish for this and no spring onions?
Hi Danielle, You can use any white fish, I’ve made this with ling, flat head and barramundi and all work fine!
Thanks so much!