Goan Crab Cakes
Finger Hot is the commercial name for this asian-type pepper that is actually very similar to fresh cayenne and can be used in any recipe to add heat without changing the flavor. It is a good chile to chop and use in stir fry.
They are thin-walled and measure about 1/2″ wide and 5″ to 8″ long. These chiles also dry very nicely.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 cups water
salt, to taste
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. ginger, minced
1 Tbsp. green finger-hot chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced
7 oz. fresh lump crab
1 Tbsp. fish saucemeat
1/2 tsp. chile sauce
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. semolina
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
Instructions:
In a saucepan, combine the rice, water and salt, then cover and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover, then simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 45-50 minutes. Set the rice aside.
In a small frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions. Saute the onions until they become translucent, about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic, ginger and chiles and saute until softened, about 1 minute.
In a large bowl, combine the crab meat, onion mixture, fish sauce, chile sauce, cilantro and cooked rice. Toss gently with a fork to combine, then stir in the egg and mix until well-blended.
Sprinkle the semolina on a sheet of baking paper. Divide the crab mixture into 4 portions and form each portion into a 3-1/2″ patty. Dredge each crab patty in the semolina.
In a large frying pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat and add the patties to the pan. Fry the patties, turning once, and until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes, then top with some sprigs of cilantro and serve hot.
Recipe from “Modern Indian Cooking” by Hari Nayak and Vikas Khanna, ISBN-10: 1-596372-33-8.