Ingredients 450g/1lb ling or coley fillets, skinned and cut into chunks 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce 1 tbsp red curry paste 1 kaffir lime leaf or 1 strip or lime zest, shredded very finely 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stalks) 1 egg 1 tsp palm sugar or muscovado sugar ½ tsp salt 40g/1½oz French beans, sliced thinly into rounds 150ml/5fl oz groundnut or sunflower oil For the sweet and sour cucumber sauce: 50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar 100g/4oz caster sugar 1½tbsp water 2 tsp Thai fish sauce 50g/2oz cucumber, diced very finely 25g/1oz carrot, diced very finely 25g/1oz onion, chopped very finely 2 red birdseye chillies, sliced thinly

Method

1. For the sauce, gently heat the vinegar, sugar and water in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring to the boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and leave to cool
3. Stir in the fish sauce, cucumber, carrot, onion and chillies.
4. Pour into four small dipping saucers or ramekins and set aside.
5. For the fish cakes, put the fish in a food processor with the fish sauce, curry paste, kaffir lime leaf or lime zest, chopped coriander, egg, sugar and salt.
6. Process until smooth, then stir in the sliced green beans.
7. Divide the mixture into 16 pieces. Roll each one into a ball and then flatten into a 6cm/2½in disc.
8. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the fish cakes in batches for 1 minute on each side, until golden brown.
9. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper, then serve with the sweet and sour cucumber sauce.