LITTLE THAI-STYLE TURKEY CAKES

I spotted this little recipe in a magazine recently and thought I’d give it a go. The recipe recommended using turkey thigh mince rather than breast, as the slightly higher (6%) fat content stopped them drying out. The thigh meat has a much better flavour too.

This is one of those ‘throw it all into a bowl and mix together’ recipes of which I find so easy. The original recipe made 8 largish cakes to serve 4 people, but I made them much smaller and got 18 from this recipe, so that 2-3 would serve as a starter or light lunch for about 6 people.

I like to serve this with a Thai-style dipping sauce from Delia’s Summer book (or even just some sweet chilli sauce from a bottle) https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/delias-cucumber-dipping-sauce-from-her-summer-collection-book/ or a lovely big salad with similar flavours (I tend to use up the fresh coriander and dress the salad with lime juice) as an accompaniment.

EQUIPMENT:

• A large bowl, for mixing
• baking tray or plate for resting and chilling
• sharp knife
• grater/ garlic crusher
• cling-film
• frying pan

INGREDIENTS:

• 500g turkey thigh mince. (I had no trouble finding this in Sainsbury’s)
• a small bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2-3 Spring onions, finely chopped

• 2-3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• Juice and zest of a lime

METHOD:

• Put all the ingredients into the bowl, and mix together well

• Line a baking tray with a piece of cling-film large enough to over-hang the sides
• Using clean hands, take a dessert-spoon sized piece of the mixture and roll it first into a ball, and then flatten out slightly to make  a cake.
• Work your way through the whole mixture, placing each cake onto the lined tray until you’ve used it all up.

• Cover with another sheet of cling-film, fold the over-hanging ends to make a neat parcel.
• Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or until you’re ready to cook them.
• Make the dipping sauce ( if you’re using it) or start the base of the salad, and put to one side.

• When the cakes are well chilled, bring the frying pan to a medium-hot heat and spray with a little low-fat spray.
• Add the cakes, and allow to cook for 5 minutes or so, until they’re nicely browned on one side when you have a look.
• Gently turn each one over and give them another 5 minutes until fully cooked through.

• You may need to do this in batches, so keep the cooked ones warm while you cook the rest.
• Put some salad onto each plate, pop on the cakes, and serve the dipping sauce separately.

NOTES:

•  I used one of my favourite vegetables with this dish – toasted sweetcorn. It’s the easiest thing in the world – no fat, no added anything – just shove the cobs under the grill, and turn occasionally so that all the sides get toasted. Remove and then, using a sharp knife, stand the cob on one end and cut the kernels off.

 

• Mr Sat Night suggested that this mixture might make a very good ‘lighter’ burger, and I think he’s right – just make the mixture into regular burgers and cook as before.
• They’d also be very good stuffed into a toasted pitta, with some Tzatziki, and leaves.