– Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer
By Lidija Abu Ghazaleh
Who doesn’t love a good fish cake? These little bite-sized morsels originated in Asia and are now popular all over the world. They are a great way to use up leftovers too – use this recipe as a basis for experimentation!
If you don’t have sole fish, any white firm-fleshed fish can be substituted, or you could even use salmon. A great variation is done with crab meat too.
Make your own aioli with the recipe provided, or take a shortcut and use your favorite store-bought aioli.
Special Equipment:
- 4 to 6 ramekins
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients:
Fish Cakes
- 500 grams filet of sole or any firm white fish
- 1 small egg
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Maldon salt (or sea salt)
- ¼ small red chili (optional), seeds removed and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (optional)
- 1 tablespoon red onion, minced
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 teaspoons of butter for cooking the fish cakes
Cumin Aoli
- 2 tablespoons homemade or good quality store-bought mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- A splash of extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Fresh thyme leaves
Convert grams to pounds and ounces here

Directions:
- Line your ramekins with plastic wrap, making sure that you have enough plastic hanging over the side to wrap the fish cakes.
- Dice your fish filet into ½ cm cubes and put in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together egg, mustard, olive oil, and sesame oil. Pour this mixture over the fish.
- Add the cumin, red onion, green onion, chili, and fresh thyme (if using). Gently combine all of the ingredients together until well incorporated.
- Carefully divide the mixture between ramekins, filling each one to the top. Cover with the plastic wrap hanging over the sides, and slightly pat the fish cake down.
- Place the ramekins into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up (do not freeze, you just want them to be firm). It is very important that the fish cakes are very cold so that all of the ingredients adhere to each other. This is a critical step in making this recipe, otherwise the fish cakes could fall apart if you cook them when they are not cold.
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add butter and olive oil, and very carefully remove the fishcakes from the ramekins and plastic wrap. Using a spatula, gently place each fishcake on the pan, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the fish cakes, undisturbed, for 3 minutes or until the bottom is brown. Carefully flip them over to the other side, and cook until browned and cooked through.
- To make the cumin aioli, whisk all of the ingredients together and serve alongside the fishcakes with roast potatoes and salad.
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Lidija Abu Ghazaleh: A passionate cook, writer & die-hard dreamer, Lidija dives into the depths of the culinary world to showcase the beauty and the magic that happens in the kitchen and beyond. She is a culinary storyteller who believes that food is one of life’s greatest pleasures and all about balance and moderation. She currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three beautiful children. You can find more of her inspiring recipes at Lidija’s Kitchen.