Ah, the humble fish cake. I grew up calling it fish frikkadel. As a kid it was and still remains one of my favourite dinners. Especially when my mom makes it.

Fish cakes, broccoli and cauliflower purée, sautéed cocktail tomatoes and salad.

When it came to side dishes, my mom flipped between serving it with a tomato chutney (or smoortjie as the Cape Malays know it) and mashed potato or spicy dhal and white rice. I love these sides and heartily enjoy it when she cooks it. However, I decided to lighten it up a bit so this week I made some and served it with broccoli and cauliflower purée and sautéed cocktail tomatoes. These sides are healthier/lighter/lower on carbohydrates and great for summer weather.

The carbiest thing on the plate by far had to be the fish cakes. I didn’t deviate too much from my mom’s recipe. For this particular meal I used canned fish but you can use the same “base” and add fresh fish, which is as yummy. In this case the can of fish was there and was convenient to use. At other times, I use fresh hake.

The Fish Cakes
What I used:
3 or 4 slices stale bread
1 egg,
1 small onion, finely diced
1-2 chilli, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tin Middlecut (or canned fish of your choice or fresh fish)
A handful of chopped coriander (parsley can also be used)
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice (you can add a bit of zest too)
Seasoning: Salt and Pepper
Pinch of nutmeg

Fish cakes in the making

How I made it:
Squeeze excess water from bread. Add to a bowl. Add all the veg and the egg mix together with a fork.  Flake fish and add to bread mixture. Shape into cakes and fry in a hot pan in shallow oil.

Frying fish cakes

The Purée

What I used:
1 package broccoli and cauliflower
1 thin sliver butter
Tiny pinch of salt

How I made it:
Boil the cauliflower until soft. Steam broccoli rather than boil so the nutrients stay locked in and it retains its vibrant green colour. Drain cauliflower. Add broccoli and butter and blitz using a stick blender.

Broccoli and cauliflower purée

The sautéed tomatoes

What I used:
A few slices white onion
2 handfuls of cocktail Rosa tomatoes, cut in half
Sprinkling of chilli flakes
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
A splash of balsamic vinegar
Pinch salt

How I made it:
Add olive oil to pan. Add sliced onion, sautee for a few minutes before adding tomato, chilli and garlic. Sauté until tomatoes have softened slightly but still retains its shape.

Tasty tomatoes

Serve all of the above with a green salad for added nutrition.

Enjoy!