Goan crab cakes

Serves: 4
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 10 mins
Ingredients
  • 400g white crab meat, picked
  • 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped
  • Half a thumb of ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 40g desiccated coconut
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1tsp ground white pepper
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 400g panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp nigella seeds
  • 2 tsp white sesame seeds
  • 100g flour
  • 400ml vegetable oil for frying

1. In a large mixing bowl add crab meat, coriander and chillies. Add the curry powder, lime juice and zest, ginger, garlic and desiccated coconut. Mix well and season with salt and white pepper.

2. Add half of the beaten egg mixture, this is to make sure the crab meat shapes better into patties. Line a tray with greaseproof paper. Shape the crab cakes into 80g patties, and arrange on the tray. Set aside in a fridge.

3. Using three bowls place the flour and the remaining beaten eggs in two separate bowls and to the third add the panko, nigella seeds, sesame seeds and chilli flakes. Mix well.

4. Using a deep-frying pan or saucepan add the vegetable oil and gently heat till the temperature reaches 250-300 degrees Celsius.

5. Remove the crab cakes from fridge and start to dredge them. Start the cake off in the flour mixture, then the egg, then finally the panko mix. Make sure each cake is well coated in the crumb.

6. Carefully add the cakes two at a time to the hot oil. Fry on one side for three to five minutes until golden brown. Gently flip the cake over using a spatula, and fry for a further three to five minutes.

Jess Murphy

Jess Murphy

Jess Murphy, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a Kiwi chef living on the west coast of Ireland