Shrimp Cakes with Cucumber-Peanut Relish

Category
Appetizer
Cuisine
Asian
Serves
Makes 4 servings
From
Jean-Georges Vongerichten

shrimpcucumberpeanutsred curry pastepan-friedrelish

Shrimp's gelatinous texture and subtle flavor make it the best choice for seafood cakes-certainly it's among the classic choices. The curry paste provides a foundation of rich heat, the long beans add a nice crunch, and the cucumber-peanut relish is a refreshing counterpoint.

Ingredients

Cucumber Peanut Relish

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves, optional
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional

Shrimp Cakes

  • 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon rice flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste, store-bought is fine
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped scallions
  • 2½ cups finely chopped Chinese long beans
  • 2 teaspoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
  • Grape seed, corn, or other neutral oil for frying
  • 1 fresh green Thai chile, seeded and minced

Instructions

Cucumber Peanut Relish

  1. To make the relish: In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Toss with the cucumber, peanuts, and, if you like, mint and cilantro. Serve within a half hour.

Shrimp Cakes

  1. To make the shrimp cakes: Put the shrimp in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add the next 6 ingredients, and mix everything together until well combined
  2. Wet your hands and then form the shrimp mixture into round cakes that are 2 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Put the finished cakes on a rack or a sheet of wax paper.
  3. Cover the bottom of a large skillet with oil to a depth of ⅛ inch. Heat over medium-high heat for 3 or 4 minutes, then put the cakes in the skillet. Do not overcrowd; work in batches as needed. Adjust the heat so the cakes do not burn, and move them around in the pan so they brown evenly. Turn after about 3 minutes. When the cakes are brown and crisp all around, they are done.
  4. Mound the cucumber-peanut relish in the center of each serving plate. Put the shrimp cakes on top of the relish, garnish with the chile, and serve.