Fish cakes are an increasingly popular dish in the United Kingdom and indeed around the world. The fishcakes are loved not only by the British people but people from all parts of the world. Even though the British eat a lot of fish it is still a surprise for many people to find out that they come from a country where fish is hardly eaten at all. However, fish cakes are very tasty and can be cooked in different ways.
A typical fish cake is a steaming dish made up of several servings of cooked fish, either whole or halved. A typical fish cake is made from various ingredients, including flour, salt, eggs, sugar, margarine, mayonnaise, ginger, lemon juice, and oil. A mixture of spices, saffron, garlic, parsley, and black pepper is also added to give the final product the flavor that customers like. A pinch of cayenne pepper is sometimes included as well.
Because of their size and firm texture, fish cakes usually come as two pieces. One piece is more of a paste-like substance while the other piece is a flesh that looks similar to mashed potatoes. In terms of appearance, the flesh is usually pink in color while the rind is mostly white. In addition to adding flavor and color to a dish, fish cakes also give it a texture because of the flour and salt used in their preparation.
Fish cakes are often served together with fresh steamed vegetables. Although this is sometimes what is cooked in a restaurant, it can also be eaten on its own. Typically, fish cakes are cooked in deep fat frying pans on top of hot stones. The purpose of this is to seal in the flavors and spices. Although it can be done with other ingredients, fish paste tends to work best when combined with batter.
When you buy fish cakes from a restaurant, look for ones with pink swirls on them. Pink swirls are a trademark of high quality fish paste. You should not see any yellowing of the fish paste. Yellowing of fish paste happens when excess oil is drained from it and the proportion of fish to other ingredients changes. If the pink swirl remains, this means that the batter has not been cooked thoroughly enough. Ideally, you should leave a pink swirl on your fish cake.
Although you can cook fishcakes on their own at home, eating them can be quite satisfying. Because of the distinct flavors they have, most people prefer to eat them together with other dishes. Some Chinese restaurants prepare fishcakes along with dim sum or bao. In the U.S., they are often served along with grilled chicken and rice. They are a great addition to soups and stews and with some slight adjustments, they can even make good soup.