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?
I am your latest fan..need to ask you if you could the most authentic alternative or substitute for eggs ? My son is allergic to eggs..thus no cake for him all these 18 yrs..Thanks
Hi Lee! Thanks for your lovely message! 🙂 For this, it should hold together ok even without egg, it will be a touch more delicate to handle but it should be ok! Between the fish wetness and the cornflour I am pretty sure that’s enough binding 🙂
Hi! Sorry to butt in Nagi, but I saw this and had to reply because my significant other was allergic to eggs until just a few months ago so I always had the same sort of question. So far I found the Ener-G egg replacer (in Whole Foods) is the best replacement. Other replacements like flax seeds + water work better in baking than cooking.
Oh Sarah!! You’re wonderful, thank you so much, this is not something I know much about. I should add link throughs to your site for my egg based recipes where I can, one of my friends has a son with the same problem and I’m sure she would find it useful too!
Always tempted by your recipes . But I only had left over cooked fish , which worked remarkably well , the texture was of course different .
Sprayed them with oil and cooked them in an air fryer. Nice and light not oozing oil.
Thank you. Can’t wait to try them with raw fish.
I used to buy the fish paste in Bangkok it came in an unappetising squigy plastic bag but it cooked up nicely.
PS So glad you enjoyed it even made with cooked fish!! Great tip, never tried it before, thanks!
I must admit I’ve never bought fish paste before!!! But yes, I can absolutely imagine it cooks up wonderfully 🙂
Hi Nagi, these look delicious, but just wondering about your dipping sauce as the picture doesn’t look like sweet chilli sauce?
Hi Cheryl!! I 100% promise it is Sweet Chilli Sauce!! I think maybe the chilli bits sank to the bottom???
I think you and I would put a hurtin’ on a Thai restaurant 😉 The flavor and texture is just so addictive, I could eat an entire plate to myself! You knocked another one out of the park. Cheers my dear 🙂
OMG, can you imagine??? Hey, sorry I didn’t catch you guys on the phone last week, I’ll shoot you an email now! N x
These fish cakes look so delicious Nagi, and you’ve made the recipe so easy, I’ll have to give these a try soon. Have a great weekend!
Well I have now made them twice with frozen basa that was thawed and patted dry and what a tasty treat they are. Super easy and yummy. Thank you.
Thanks so much Fida, I do hope you try it! They really are amazing! 🙂 N x
Hi Ms. Nagi!
I’m allergic to fish but will definitely try these with shrimp or chicken!! I appreciate your recipe for the cucumber relish – it gives such a delicious pop of flavor.
The Life of Dozer – looks like he likes to play in the water, too! It’s a ruff life. 😉
Oooh! I can’t believe I’ve never made these with shrimp!!!! I have to try!!! 🙂
What a simple recipe for a classic dish–and it sounds delicious! But the best part is Dozer. Your description of him reminds me of one of my own pups. Thank you again, Nagi.
PupS? How many do you have? 🙂
Woo Hoo!! Would you believe I have red curry paste?! This recipe looks so tasty and I love trying new dishes and cuisines. I really love how you styled your photo. It looks like a person couldn’t resist and started nibbling. That’s just the way I would think an appetizer would do — dare you to resist taking a bite. YUM!! Will have to try this ASAP. Have a great weekend.
It’s a sign, it’s a sign!!?
Pinning this one Nagi! I’ve never made Thai fish cakes… I’m not sure why 🙂 Great pic of Dozer!
When the subject is that cute, it’s hard to get a bad shot!!! 😉
Hi Nagi! Spongelike or not these sound delicious! We often eat off the appetizer menu for our whole meal, that way we can have a variety of foods, kinda like tapas! Another thing we do is each get different things and share. People give us strange looks as we “fork over” food!
ME TOO!!! I”m not kidding Dorothy, I swear that I always enjoy the entree more than the main and I often order 3 entrees instead of an entree + main!!!!
Spongy!!!! YES!!!! that is exactly what they are like. But they are so tasty!
When I order Thai appetisers I am always torn between the fish cakes, the prawn cakes with plum sauce and the fresh spring rolls.
I make the prawn ones at home and the spring rolls, but I have never tried the fish ones. I always figured there was a secret to getting that texture. Super excited to try this and I have a jar of homemade Thai curry paste in the fridge 🙂
I can’t believe I’ve never made the PRAWN ONES!!!!