Tuna Fish Cakes
As a child I grew up eating tuna sandwiches on Saturday morning’s in my father’s shop.
My mother would make them as a snack before lunch and it used to go down so well with a cold coke. In winter she used to toast the sandwiches in a jaffle-maker and we would enjoy that with piping hot masala tea.
Those are my memories of tuna in a can. Fish cakes on the other hand wasn’t something I enjoyed very often. There used to be a fish shop around the corner from ours. Sometimes when we were treated to fish and chips, I would make the odd request for fish cakes. I really loved the texture and the extra herbs and lemon wedges that came with it.
Whenever I try to make fish cakes, I somehow always try to replicate that one. But I never ever come close.
This recipe however is darn good.
Ingredients
6 baby potatoes
2 cans of tuna, drained
2 slices of brown bread, crumbed (I use Albany’s low kilojoule controlled bread) (you can omit if you’re gluten-intolerant)
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fine ground pepper
1 tsp sumac
1 tsp dry red chilies (can omit)
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
coriander for garnish
1/4 cup Teff grain, not the flour (can also use bread crumbs or ground hemp)
Method
Steam the baby potatoes for 6 minutes in the microwave. Give it a mash and set aside.
In another bowl, mix 2 cans of tuna, crumbed brown bread, salt, pepper, sumac, lemon zest, lemon juice, chili, and salt together.
Heat a large pan at this stage on medium-high. You will only need 2 tbsp oil for this.
With a fork, mix in the remaining potatoes - skins and all.
Spread your teff grain out on a plate.
Form 1/8 of a cup of tuna in a ball in your left hand. Pat it slightly flat with your right hand. Place your fish cake flat in the grain and move it in an anti-clockwise direction, shaping it as you go. Life it and make sure the grain gets on the sides as well and place it in the pan.
Fry for between 3-4 minutes on each side.
Serve with lemon wedges and freshly chopped coriander.
