Thai Fish Cakes, Steamed Jasmine Rice with Seared Greens and Nuoc Cham

In a medium pot, bring 1 ¹⁄₂ cups water to a boil. Stir in the rice; cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Keep covered with a lid and let the rice sit off the heat for a few minutes to absorb any residual water. Fluff the finished rice with a fork.

Tip! Taste the rice; if it is still too firm, add a few more tablespoons of water.

Cut fish into large chunks. Pick herbs, discarding stems. Finely chop chilli. Julienne lime leaf, discarding central rib. Finely slice green beans. Slice baby choy sum into half or quarters. Combine the chilli with the fish sauce, vinegar and sugar, taste and add a tbsp of water if needed to mellow out the flavour - depends how punchy you like it!

Tip! Add chilli to taste.

In the bowl of a food processor combine fish, laksa paste, egg, cornflour and herbs and a pinch of salt. Pulse until smooth. Fold through green beans. Using damp hands form the mixture into golf ball sized patties and flatten slightly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Tip! The mixture is soft and sticky so damp hands make it much easier to roll the cakes.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom. Fry each fish cake for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel and repeat if needed.

Heat a fry pan over high heat and add the sesame oil. Add the choy sum and sear to pick up a little colour. Add a splash of water and a lid and steam for 2-3 minutes until bright green and tender.

Serve the fish cakes with the rice, seared veggies and nuac cham sauce.

In a medium pot, bring 1 ¹⁄₂ cups water to a boil. Stir in the rice; cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Keep covered with a lid and let the rice sit off the heat for a few minutes to absorb any residual water. Fluff the finished rice with a fork.

Tip! Taste the rice; if it is still too firm, add a few more tablespoons of water.

Cut fish into large chunks. Pick herbs, discarding stems. Finely chop chilli. Julienne lime leaf, discarding central rib. Finely slice green beans. Slice baby choy sum into half or quarters. Combine the chilli with the fish sauce, vinegar and sugar, taste and add a tbsp of water if needed to mellow out the flavour - depends how punchy you like it!

Tip! Add chilli to taste.

In the bowl of a food processor combine fish, laksa paste, egg, cornflour and herbs and a pinch of salt. Pulse until smooth. Fold through green beans. Using damp hands form the mixture into golf ball sized patties and flatten slightly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Tip! The mixture is soft and sticky so damp hands make it much easier to roll the cakes.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom. Fry each fish cake for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel and repeat if needed.

Heat a fry pan over high heat and add the sesame oil. Add the choy sum and sear to pick up a little colour. Add a splash of water and a lid and steam for 2-3 minutes until bright green and tender.

Serve the fish cakes with the rice, seared veggies and nuac cham sauce.