Vietnamese-Style Crispy Shrimp Cakes

Created by ForeverMama on March 10, 2017

Ingredients

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

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.