This popular Burmese salad is packed with traditional and refreshing flavours. 

SERVES 

4 

 

PREPARATION 

30 MIN

 

COOKING 

12 MIN

 

SKILL LEVEL 

EASY

 

Ingredients 

• 1 Asian red eschalot (see Note), thinly sliced, soaked in water for 10 minutes, drained

• 2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped

• 2 tspfinely crushed roasted peanuts

• 1 tspchickpea (besan) flour (see Note)

• ½ cupcoriander sprigs

• 2 tspfried Asian red eschalots (see Note)

• 2 tsptamarind dipping sauce

• 250 gfirm white fish fillet, finely chopped

• 2 tspfinely chopped ginger

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• ¼ tspground turmeric

• 1 Asian red eschalot (see Note), chopped

• vegetable oil, to deep-fry

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Instructions

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To make fish cakes, place fish, ginger, garlic, turmeric and eschalot in a food processor and process to a smooth paste. Season with salt. Shape mixture into 8 x 5 cm-diameter rounds.

Fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat to 180°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Working in batches, fry fish cakes, turning halfway, for 6 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Slice fish cakes in half horizontally, and place rounds in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients; tomato, peanut, besan flour, coriander, fried eschalots, and using your hands gently toss to combine before serving.

 

Note
• Asian red eschalots and fried Asian red eschalots are from Asian food shops.
• Chickpea (besan) flour is from health food shops, Asian food shops and select supermarkets.

 

 

Photography Alan Benson

 

As seen in Feast magazine, February 2014, Issue 28. 

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Cook's notes

 

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.