2 Jun
Prawn cakes with cucumber peanut relish
Ingredients
- 3cm/1¼in piece ginger
, peeled and sliced
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 2 small shallots, halved
- ½ red chilli, deseeded and diced
- zest 1 lime
- 600g raw peeled prawns
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar mixed with 1 tsp water
For the relish
- 75g caster sugar
- 125ml rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp chilli flakes
- 3 tbsp finely diced cucumber
- 1 tbsp chopped roasted salted peanuts
- 1 small shallot
, finely diced
To serve
- leaves of 2 Baby Gem lettuces
- fresh mint
Method
- 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.
