While I was looking for vegetables for dinner I realized that there isn’t enough for a satisfying pansit guisado. As I pondered upon my next move I remembered we still have unopened and probably never be eaten on its own canned tuna in the cupboard. Well, what about fishcakes? So fishcakes it is.
Let me tell you I have all these kinds of fishcakes in mind. But like I said there isn’t enough vegetables or even spices to dress it all up. Good thing there still enough fresh radish. mini carrots and some red bell pepper. That’s good enough I concurred for a family who doesn’t even know what fishcakes are. I’m serious. They’re not really the type who sees food as an adventure. They’re satisfied with the simple rotation of pakbet, adobo, dinuguan, dinengdeng, guisadong monggo, nilagang baka, pansit and fried fish. It’s not an exaggeration. The breakfast choice isn’t much either; corned beef, fried ham, pritong tuyo, pritong itlog, pritong isda, pritong tapa with the occasional addition of tomato-radish salad.
Now that i wrote that down it’s disappointing to know that this is it. No wonder I always look forward to birthdays and special occasions.
Anyways, not that I’m complaining a lot. Sometimes it is enough to have food on your table three times a day thatn nothing at all. It’s a big thing to be grateful for, yes?
Going back to the fishcakes….
I went ahead and looked for its origin. There’s a 19th century publication Book of Household Management by Mrs. Beeton whos recipe calls for “leftover fish” and “cold potato”.
In Thailand, home of the famed “Thai fish cake”, the fish is mashed with chopped green beans, coriander, fish sauce, Kaffir lime leaves, Thai chilli paste, an egg binding and lashings of chopped coriander including the stalks. it is deep fried and is served with diping sauce that is usually a combination of sweet, salty and spicy.
Since fish is available anywhere in the world it is very safe to say that every country has its own version of fish cake.
Here’s mine:
Fishcake with Fried Okra and Squash
200 grams Light Meat Tuna in Sunflower Oil
1 small radish (yield 1/4 cup)
1 small carrot (yield 1/4 cup)
1 red bell pepper
1 tbsp ground glutinous rice (as a thickener)
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
salt and pepper, to taste
sidedish:
okra
squash
calamansi
1. Wash radish. Dry then peel. Slice the radish into thin 1 inch sticks or use a kitchen shredder. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set aside.
2. Wash then dry the red bell pepper and small carrot. Mince the carrot and bell pepper. Set aside in a big bowl.
3. The radish should be watery by now. Squeeze out as much water as you can. I personally prefer to wash it off with more water HOWEVER you may opt not to to keep the radish’s stonger flavor.
4. Add the radish into the minced carrot and bell pepper. If there any tuna chunks you have to seperate it into tiny bits using the tines of a fork. Add the tuna meat into the radish, carrot and bell pepper mixture. I did not drain the sunflower oil since I used it as a substitute for the egg.
5. Next add the breadcrumbs and ground glutinous rice. Using your very clean and dry hands, mix all the ingredients until well incorporated.
6. Divide into 8 pieces. You may form the fishcake mixture into a log then cut it into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball, then flatten lightly. Just like you’d do with a burger patty. Chill for about 30 minutes to set.
7. Slice the okra lenghtwise (or as desired). Slice the squash into small pieces (or as desired). Season with salt and pepper.
Deep fry for only about a minute or two to retain the color and crunch. Drain on paper towels.
8. In a seperate pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Fry the fishcake until golden brown and crunchy on each side. I suggest you fry every patty within 1-2 minutes to keep the center moist.
9. Serve with pure tomato ketchup or any condiment of choice with the fried vegetables. Before eating squeeze a calamansi over vegetables and fishcake.
