Prawn Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Chop 1 spring onion and tip into a food processor. Slice the remaining 2 spring onions diagonally and set aside. Halve both chillies lengthways and discard the seeds. Put 1 chilli into the food processor, finely chop the other and set aside.
• Add the lime zest, sugar, 2 tbsp of the coriander and a generous pinch of sea salt to the spring onion and chilli in the processor and whizz to a coarse paste. Add the prawns and whizz until everything is chopped but still has some texture.
• Tip the mixture on to a floured surface and with floured hands lightly shape into 4 rounds, each about 1cm thick. (You can make ahead up to this point. Cover and keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
• Heat 2 tbsp of the sunflower oil in a smallish frying pan and start frying the prawn cakes - cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning them over when they become golden. As soon as you have turned the prawn cakes, put the noodles into a saucepan of boiling water on a back burner. Stir to separate and cook for 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a wok (or another frying pan) and stir-fry the garlic, ginger and reserved chilli for 1 minute. Tip in the mangetout and reserved spring onions and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil and lime juice.
• Drain the noodles and toss them into the stir-fry. Pile on to plates, top with the prawn cakes and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and remaining coriander.

Steps:

• For the filling: Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, blend the garlic cloves, and ginger with 1 tablespoon water to a smooth paste in a food processor.
• Using a mortar and pestle, grind the peppercorns, cloves, cumin, cinnamon, and dried chiles to a fine powder. Add the ground spices to the pan, and stir well to coat the onion in the spices. Reduce the heat to a low heat, and fry the spices for 20 to 30 seconds. Add the ginger and garlic puree, stir well, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the raw smell of garlic has disappeared.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and a splash of water, stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the tomatoes have reduced to a pulp. You can use a potato masher to break the tomatoes down during cooking.
• Add the sugar and the white wine vinegar, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the prawns and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the prawns have turned pink, and have started to curl up. Remove the pan from the heat, and set aside to cool.
• For the batter: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with butter.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and egg yolk, beating well until each addition has been fully incorporated into the mixture before adding more. Add the salt, semolina, flour, baking powder, milk, and coconut, and mix until the mixture is well combined, and is of a dropping consistency.
• Spoon half of the batter mixture into the greased cake tin. Spoon the filling mixture on top of the batter and spread it evenly over the batter. Pour over the remaining batter mixture. Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the prawn cake.
• To serve the dish, turn out the prawn cake onto a plate. Cut the prawn cake into ten slices and place each slice onto a serving plate. Place a portion of lightly dressed salad greens alongside.

Steps:

• In the bowl of the food processor (or you can use a blender), add the rice cakes and pulse until you get 1 1/4 cups rice cake crumbs. Return 1/4 cup crumbs to the food processor, reserving the remaining 1 cup for coating the cakes.
• Add shrimp, shallot, 4 tablespoons each of the cilantro and basil, and 2 tablespoons jalapeño to the crumbs. Add 2 teaspoons fish sauce, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse, chunky paste. (Be careful not to overprocess; if using a blender, scrape down the sides frequently.) Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate while you make the sauce (at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours).
• In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, remaining cilantro, basil, jalapeño and fish sauce. Zest the lime into the bowl, then cut the naked lime into wedges and squeeze in some juice. Salt to taste. Reserve extra lime wedges for serving.
• Spread remaining 1 cup rice cake crumbs out onto a plate or sheet pan. With wet hands to keep shrimp paste from sticking, form 2 tablespoons of shrimp mixture into a 1/2-inch-thick patty and put it on top of the crumbs. Repeat with remaining shrimp mixture, re-wetting your hands as necessary. Turn the patties over in the crumbs to coat both sides.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Fry patties in batches until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve shrimp cakes topped with more basil leaves, with chile-lime sauce for dunking and lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. In a small saucepan cover the cod with cold water and gently poach for 3-4 mins until just cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry. Flake into a medium bowl with the prawns, potato and most of the chives, lemon zest and some seasoning. Shape into 4 even-size cakes and chill for 10 mins.
• Dip each cake in the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs, repeat with the remaining fish cakes. Brush each cake with 1 tsp of the olive oil, place on a roasting tray and cook for 25 mins, turning halfway through. Cook beans in salted boiling water for 3-4 mins, until tender, adding the tomatoes for the final min. Drain and toss through the remaining oil, vinegar and reserved chives, mashing the tomatoes lightly with a fork, season with some black pepper and set aside.
• For the poached eggs bring a shallow pan of water to just boiling, stir the water once or twice and crack in the eggs. Poach for 3-4 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon. Serve the fishcakes topped with a poached egg and garnished with the beans and a few wedges of lemon for squeezing over.

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.