Crispy Shrimp Cakes

Tea Jenny's Note:

This is a Thai recipe, you can serve this with jasmine rice or a nice green salad, either way it's a very tasty dish and worth the effort.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 6.0

• 500 g fresh prawns or 500 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 150 g ground pork (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 60 g breadcrumbs
• oil, for deep-frying
• 2 pieces fresh pineapple, thinly sliced, to garnish (optional)
• chinese plum sauce, to serve (optional)
• sweet Thai sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 100 g sugar
• 1/2 cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced red chili
• 60 ml rice vinegar
• 4 tablespoons chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• springs coriander leaves, to garnish (cilantro)

Directions:

1. To make the Sweet Thai Chilli sauce, bring the water, fish sauce and sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns into a thin syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside. About 10 minutes before serving, combine all the other ingredients with the syrup and mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl.
2. Grind the peeled prawns or shrimp to a paste in a food processor. Combine the prawns or shrimp, pork (if using), salt, fish sauce, sugar pepper in a large bowl and mix until well blended.
3. Wet your hands, spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture and shape if into a ball, them press if flat to from a round cake. Coat the cake on all sides with the breadcrumbs. Continue until all the mixture is used up.
4. Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan until hot. Gradually lower the coated cakes into the oil, a few at a time, and deep-fry for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
5. Line a serving platter with the pineapple slice (if using) and arrange the deep-fried cakes on top. Serve hot with a bowl of Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce or Chinese plum sauce (if using) on the side.