Vietnamese Fish Cakes - Chả Cá Chien

Vietnamese Fish Cakes - Chả Cá Chien

Prep Time: 1 20

Cook Time: 8

Servings: pieces

Chả cá, or Vietnamese fish cakes, are a super high-protein snack that’s tender, springy, and full of flavor. Made with tilapia or mackerel, these versatile fish cakes can be enjoyed on their own, in noodle soups, bánh mì sandwiches, or wrapped in rice paper rolls.

Ingredients

Instructions

Put cut up tilapia pieces in freezer and let it semi freeze for an hour.
In a food processor, add semi frozen fish pieces along with the rest of the ingredients along with 6 cubes of ice. Puree until it becomes a smooth paste, around 3 minutes.
Add cooking oil to your hands (so fish puree does not stick) and remove the fish paste from food processor. Shape it into a ball, and then on a clean surface area, slam the fish paste with your oiled hand onto the surface. Repeat for 10 times. This will remove the air pockets from the fish paste.
Scoop out ¼ cup of the fish paste and shape into a ball, then flatten it. Another alternative is to just do one large round patty. I like to do individual portions.
Add oil to a pot, filling it no more than halfway but do a 1/3 or less. Heat oil to 350 degrees. Gently add fish cakes to the oil and fry until they are nice and golden brown, around 5 minutes. Constantly turn fish cakes over so they brown evenly.
You can serve these fish cakes with steamed rice, or use them for noodle soups, etc.
Alternatively, you can make fish balls with this recipe, and instead of frying them you will just add them to your soup broth. First bring soup broth to a boil, then add the fish balls. You will know the fish balls are cooked when they start floating to the top.

Nutrition