Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz fish fillets (whiting
• pollock
• coley
• etc)
• ½ red pepper
• chopped
• 2 red chillies
• chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander
• 3 spring onions
• finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• tender part only
• chopped
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 125ml/4fl oz coconut milk
• 1 whole egg
• 125g/4½oz green beans
• vegetable oil
• 2 cucumbers peeled
• halved lengthways and de-seeded
• 35g/1¼oz caster sugar
• 50ml/2fl oz rice vinegar
• 2 hot chillies
• finely diced
• 2 shallots
• finely diced
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 40g/1½oz roasted peanuts
• chopped
• ½ tbsp nam pla (fish sauce)

Directions

• Cut the fish into small pieces. Place the pepper
• chillies
• coriander
• spring onions
• garlic
• lemongrass and fish sauce into a food processor and blend to a paste.
• Add the fish pieces to the paste and blend well. Mix to a smooth paste adding coconut milk and egg.
• Place the mixture in a bowl. Slice the beans finely into 3mm (1/8in) and stir into fish paste. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least two hours.
• Half-fill a heavy-based frying pan with oil and heat over a medium to high heat. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Shape the chilled paste into small patties with the help of a spoon. Carefully lower the fish patties into the hot oil
• in batches (the oil should reach halfway up the sides of the patties). Fry until crisp and brown
• turning once during cooking. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining fish patties.
• For the salad
• cut the cucumber in to 5mm (¼in) slices
• Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and toss the cucumber slices in it. Fold in the chilli
• shallot and coriander.
• Sprinkle with the peanuts and fish sauce just before serving.