Skinnymixer’s Thai Fish Cakes with Tamarind Peanut Sauce features in the Snacks & Share section of the cookbook SkinnyAsia 2.

Golden and springy, these Thai-inspired Fish Cakes are packed with red curry flavour and served with a sweet, tangy Tamarind Peanut Sauce. They’re quick to make and delicious served with Quick Pickled Cabbage for a fresh, crunchy contrast.

What ingredients you will need

Thai Red Curry Paste
egg
white fish fillet – basa or blue eye trevalla
brown sugar
cornflour
fish sauce
oil of choice
peanut butter
tamarind paste/puree
spring onion
garlic powder
onion powder

This page exists to help people find what cookbook the Fish Cakes with Tamarind Peanut Sauce is in and also to provide a basic shopping list for when you are out and about and have forgotten your eBook or shopping list. (Handy I know!). Plus extra recipe information – tips, FAQs and videos.

What are Thai Fish Cakes?

Thai Fish Cakes are different from the chunky, potato-based fish cakes you may be familiar with.

The fish is blended with curry paste, fish sauce and other seasonings to create a smooth mixture. When cooked, the Fish Cakes become golden on the outside with a distinctive springy, tender texture inside.

Our version uses Thai Red Curry Paste from SkinnyAsia 2 (and free on the website) and is served with an easy Tamarind Peanut Sauce for the perfect balance of savoury, spicy, sweet and tangy flavours.

What is tamarind?

Tamarind is a tropical fruit commonly used throughout Asian cooking. It has a distinctive sweet and sour flavour that adds acidity and depth to sauces, curries and dressings.

For this recipe, tamarind paste or puree is combined with peanut butter, sugar and fish sauce to make a quick dipping sauce that pairs beautifully with the savoury Fish Cakes.

You can find tamarind paste or puree in the Asian section of some supermarkets, at Asian grocers or online.

What fish is best for Thai Fish Cakes?

A firm white fish fillet works well for these Fish Cakes.

We recommend fish such as basa or blue eye trevalla. Make sure any bones have been removed before adding the fish to your Thermomix or food processor.

Because the fish is blended rather than left in chunks, you don’t need expensive fillets. Look for a mild white fish that will blend well and complement the Thai Red Curry Paste.

Why do the Fish Cakes need to be chilled?

Once shaped, refrigerate the Fish Cakes for 20 minutes before cooking.

Chilling helps firm up the mixture, making the patties easier to handle and helping them hold their shape when they hit the frying pan.

Wet your hands before shaping the mixture to prevent it sticking to your fingers.

You can prepare the fish cakes in advance and pop them in the fridge or freezer ready to cook.

What can I serve with Thai Fish Cakes?

Serve the Fish Cakes immediately with plenty of Tamarind Peanut Sauce for dipping.

They’re also delicious with Quick Pickled Cabbage from SkinnyAsia 2. The fresh, crunchy and tangy cabbage is a great contrast to the rich, golden Fish Cakes.

You could serve them as a starter or snack, or add rice and a fresh salad to turn them into a meal.

Dietary variations

These Thai-inspired Fish Cakes can be adapted to suit a range of dietary requirements.

Egg Free: Omit the egg.

Nut Free: Use seed butter instead of peanut butter.

Low Carb: Use natural peanut butter and a compliant sweetener. Replace the cornflour with 15 g coconut flour.

Super Skinny: Use powdered peanut butter mixed with water in place of the peanut butter. Omit the sugar from the Fish Cakes.

Paleo: Use compliant sauces and replace the cornflour with tapioca.

Vegetarian: Replace the fish with pressed, cubed firm tofu and use vegan fish sauce. You may need additional cornflour to help the Fish Cakes bind.

Low FODMAP: Use only the green part of the spring onions and omit the garlic and onion powders. Use a little garlic-infused olive oil to cook the Fish Cakes.

Halved/Doubled: When halving the recipe, use 1 egg. When doubling in a Thermomix or thermo cooker, mix the Fish Cake mixture in 2 batches.

From the Testing Team

Julie H. – Egg free cooked in airfryer and bloody delicious. Sauce made the day before so when I used it I loved how thick it was just like peanut butter
Kelly S. – OMG these are a new favourite in our house!!
Kerry F. – Tasty even if my red curry paste wasn’t the best I’ve ever made cause the chilli’s were very mild we still really enjoyed them. I got 11 out of the mix, I had 2 fish cakes on a 2x 1/4 piece of roti & the old bloke managed to eat 7 I have 2 left that may last until tomorrow.
Veronica B. – Yummmm!! These are delicious soooo tasty!! Love the sauce too, works well together.
Deb D. – This sauce is amazing love it. Used Basa and they were springy as per the recipe.
Kaz M. – Bloody delicious!! I used fresh wild caught Snapper fillets the sauce and cakes are soooo good, my only change would be, next time ill add a birdseye chilli to the fish cakes for spice! Im used to them having a bit of a kick whenever ive gotten them at restaurants, so was expecting the same with these, but it was missing. Otherwise – flavour, texture and ease of cooking is an 11/10!
Amanda E. – Bloody yum!!! LOVE the sauce!! Would like some more spice in the sauce or the fish cakes. I used frozen, thawed Basa fillets.

Some other Thermomix Fish recipes you might love:

Want to know more about SkinnyAsia 2 cookbook?

SkinnyAsia 2 is a collection of Thermomix & Conventional cooking recipes. All of our cookbooks have a strong focus on Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Egg Free, Low Carb, Paleo, Vegetarian and Low FODMAP.

We cover a wide range of dietary variations in the cookbook – LC: Low Carb, GF: Gluten-free, DF: Dairy-free, LM: Low Fodmap, SS: Super Skinny, V: Vegetarian

FAQs

Can I make the Fish Cakes ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare and shape the Fish Cakes ahead of time, then keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.

The Tamarind Peanut Sauce can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated separately.

Why are Thai Fish Cakes springy?

That springy texture is one of the things that makes Thai-style Fish Cakes different from traditional potato-based fish cakes.

Blending the raw fish with the other ingredients creates a sticky, well-combined mixture. Once cooked, this gives the Fish Cakes their characteristic tender, slightly bouncy texture.

Fish Cakes with Tamarind Peanut Sauce in SkinnyAsia 2

The full Fish Cakes with Tamarind Peanut Sauce recipe, including Thermomix and conventional instructions, can be found in SkinnyAsia 2.

You’ll also find the Thai Red Curry Paste and Quick Pickled Cabbage recipes in the book, making it easy to create the whole dish from scratch.

SkinnyAsia2: Fish Cakes with Tamarind Peanut Sauce