Desi Salmon and Cod Fish Cakes

These patties are so simple that in the beginning I was wondering whether to share it or not with you all. But then my conscience pushed me repeatedly cos these are soooooooo goooooooooooooood!!!!! No, that wasn’t a typo! I am serious. These fish cakes are moist, flaky and super delicious. They literally melt in your mouth. If you want to have a no-fail fish meal as an appetizer or even a side dish to your main course, these will be your besties to go with.

From the “Desi” word itself you would have known by now that this recipe is Indian inspired. The spices, chillies, herbs all thrown into the fish gives the fish patties a unique aroma and flavor. I have known people all my life who really don’t like fish but if the same fish is served in the form of patties or “Cutlets”, as they are known in India, it won’t take them seconds to gobble down the whole thing. This should especially work well for moms who struggle to feed some fishy proteins to their kids; it is a indeed a pretty good way to sneak fish into your kid’s diet.

The recipe does not vary a lot from that of the original authentic Salmon cakes. But just a few changes here and there. I thought of including cod fish too. Cod and salmon go really well together. But you can substitute it with any white fish fillet. Do remember to use fresh fish for this recipe. Canned salmon won’t give you the same results. It is always worth the extra effort that comes by in using fresh fish for your patties. The freshness yields a distinctive flavor, taste and undoubtedly will tingle your palate.

Ingredients:

Salmon – 1 large fillet

Cod – 1 small fillet

Onion – 1 medium sized

Garlic – 3-4 cloves

Ginger – 1 small piece

Green chilli – 1

Cilantro leaves – chopped finely

3 slices of bread

Red chilli flakes – 2 tsp

Ground cumin – 1 tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Mix of dry herbs – 1/2 tsp (Alternatively, you can use fresh herbs like parsley, dill and chives finely chopped)

Chickpea flour- 1 -2 tbsp

White pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

Salt – as per taste

Method:

Finely chop the onions, garlic and ginger. Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and fry these along with the green chilli  until they start getting a color on the outside.

Now grind this into a smooth paste with very little or no water.

Steam the salmon and cod fillets until just done. I prefer to remove the skin after steaming them.

In a large mixing bowl, flake up the fish fillets using a fork.

Now add the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli paste. Add the finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Add the rest of the ingredients, namely salt, pepper, chilli flakes, ground cumin, garam masala, dry herbs (or finely chopped fresh herbs).

Tear the bread slices into small pieces. Soak the bread pieces in water for a few mins. Then squeeze out the water completely. You should take only the white part and remove the outer brown parts. However I was too lazy, so I used the whole bread. Didn’t want to waste any you see!! 😉

Also I have used chickpea flour as an additional binding agent. Use 1-2 tbsp of chickpea flour as will be required for your pattie mix.

Now mix all the ingredients together until everything is well incorporated.

Keep this in the fridge for at least 30 mins.

Then divide it into four equal portions. This makes it easier to form equal-sized patties.

Rub your hands with water. And then shape up each individual portion into a patty.

Spray some oil on a hot pan. Place the patty and shallow fry for approximately 3-4 mins on each side.

The salmon and cod fish cakes will be ready to serve.

I served the yummy fish cakes with basil pesto and grain mustard with a dollop of sour cream on top. Enjoy!!