Kroeung Fish Cakes with Coconut Curry Dip and Herb Wraps

Method

1. Thinly slice the pale part of the lemongrass, the garlic and the shallot and pound them with the turmeric in a mortar for 4 min into a fine kroeung. Set aside about 1 teaspoon (for 2 servings; adjust to your number) for the dip.

   Add in this stepLemongrass stalks 1Garlic cloves 2Shallot 1Ground turmeric ½ tsp

2. Chop the fish very finely with a knife, or pulse it briefly in a food processor, into a sticky paste. Add the rest of the kroeung, part of the fish sauce, the sugar, cornflour, very finely shredded lime leaves and the beans sliced into 3 mm rounds. Knead by hand for 2 min, slapping the mixture against the bowl several times, until springy and tacky. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.

   Add in this stepWhite fish fillet, skinned and boned 200 gFish sauce 1½ tspPalm sugar (or sugar) 1 tspCornflour (cornstarch) 2 tspMakrut lime leaves 3Long beans or green beans 3

3. Put the coconut milk and the reserved kroeung in a small pot and simmer on medium-low heat for 5 min, stirring, until lightly thickened. Take off the heat and stir in the remaining fish sauce, the lime juice and the sliced chilli to finish the dip.

   Add in this stepCoconut milk 150 mlFish sauce 1 tspLime 1Red chilli 1

   medium-low heat

4. Bring water to the boil in a 18 cm pot on high heat, cook the noodles for 3 min, rinse in cold water and drain well.

   Add in this stepThin dried rice noodles 60 g

   high heat

5. With wet hands shape the mixture into flat discs 5 cm across and 1 cm thick (8 pc · 1×). Pour oil 1 cm deep into a frying pan and heat on medium-high heat to 170 °C: a wooden chopstick dipped in should immediately release small bubbles. Slide the cakes in away from you and fry each batch for 5 min, turning halfway, until golden and puffed on both sides; they are cooked when white and firm in the middle. Mind the spatter and never leave the pan. Drain on kitchen paper.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil, for frying 150 ml

   medium-high heat

6. Put a little noodle, cucumber strips, mint and basil on a lettuce leaf, add a fish cake, wrap and dip into the coconut curry dip.

   Add in this stepRomaine lettuce leaves 6Mint 8 gThai basil 8 gCucumber 1