Air fryer Thai red curry fish cakes

By: Ilona Nicola

For the fish cakes:
500g skinless white fish fillets (such as barramundi, john dory or flathead), skinned and boned
30g cornflour
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
3 tbsp Valcom Thai red curry paste
1/2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp Yeos sesame oil
2 egg whites
Pinch flaky salt
1/3 cup coriander, finely chopped
2 tsp Valcom kaffir lime leaves, very finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced
6 green beans, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 tbsp Squid brand fish sauce
1 tsp ground white pepper
Olive oil spray
For the dipping sauce:
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp lime juice, and zest of one lime
60ml Obento rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp Squid brand fish sauce
4 long red chillies, thinly sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, grated
To serve:
1-2 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated
1/2 bunch coriander, picked
1/2 bunch mint, picked
2-3 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced
1 handful cherry tomatoes
lime wedges

For the dipping sauce: place sugar, lime zest and juice, vinegar, fish sauce and chilli in a bowl and whisk with a fork until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
For the fish cakes, place fish in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add cornflour, garlic, curry paste, sugar, sesame oil, egg whites and a good pinch of salt and blitz until well combined.
Transfer fish mixture into a bowl. Add coriander, green beans. spring onion, kaffir lime, fish sauce and white pepper. Stir until well combined.
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Using wet hands, shape mixture into 12-14 round flat fish cakes (about 60g each). Spray generously all over with olive oil spray.
To cook in air fryer: Preheat air fryer to 200˚C for 3 minutes. Working in batches, place fish cakes in the air fryer basket in a single layer, with enough space between each fish cake to allow the air to circulate. Cook at 200˚C for 8 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time, or until golden and cooked through.
To cook in oven: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place an oven tray inside the oven to heat up. Cook for 8–10 minutes until golden and firm to touch.
Serve fish cakes with lettuce leaves, fresh coriander and mint, crunchy cucumber, tomatoes, lime wedges and dipping sauce.
To eat, place a fish cake on a lettuce leaf 'boat', top with herbs, cucumber and tomato, spoon over a generous spoonful of dipping sauce, and CHOMP!