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Vietnamese-Style Crispy Shrimp Cakes

Here's how you make Vietnamese-Style Crispy Shrimp Cakes
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  • Servings: 7
  • Prep: 15m
  • Cook: 30m
    • The following recipe serves 7 people.

Ingredients

The ingredients are:
  • 1 pound shrimp (shelled large shrimp, coarsely chopped)
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch (more for dusting)
  • 2 tablespoons minced lemon grass (tender inner stalk only)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 serrano chiles (or jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and minced)
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green part separated from dark green tops)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (Asian fish sauce)
  • Lemon zest (finely grated of 1 lime)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
  • Peanut oil, for frying
  • Cooked rice noodles, optional, for serving
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional, for serving)
  • FOR VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE
  • 1 cup oil (peanut oil)
  • 1/2 cup peanuts (fresh)
  • 2 green chili peppers (fresh)
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger root (fresh)
  • 4 garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 70 grams cup coconut milk (1/3 cup)
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce (dark)
  • 4 teaspoons fish sauce (Vietnamese fish sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup minced coriander (fresh)
We recommend you get your ingredients ready before you start cooking. Once you're ready, here are the steps to making this delicious recipe

How to Make

  • Step 1: In the bowl of a food processor, combine shrimp, cornstarch, lemon grass, garlic, chiles, white and light green scallion bottoms, 2 teaspoons sugar and salt. Pulse until mixture forms a coarse paste.

  • Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime zest and juice, 1 tablespoon sugar and the dark green scallion tops.

  • Step 3: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wet hands to keep shrimp paste from sticking. Form 2 tablespoons of shrimp mixture into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Dust patty with cornstarch. Repeat with remaining batter.

  • Step 4: Fry patties in batches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve over rice noodles, if desired, drizzled with fish sauce mixture and strewn with cilantro.

  • Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

  • Step 5: Warm 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet until nearly smoking. Add the peanuts and stir.

  • Step 6: Remove from the heat and continue stirring until the peanuts are toasted and then allow to cool.

  • Step 7: Place the peanuts in a food processor and puree to a rough paste.

  • Step 8: Add the chili peppers, ginger, garlic, coconut milk, soy and fish sauces, sugar, lime juice and salt. Puree until almost smooth.

  • Step 9: Place the peanut mixture into a bowl and with a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining peanut oil until the sauce has a nice sheen.

  • Step 10: Stir in the minced coriander. This sauce can also be used as a dip for grilled meats, or as a sauce for cold noodle salad.

We hope you enjoy this recipe!

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