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These Bangkok Crab Cakes have all our favourite Thai flavours. They’re sweet, salty, sour, and spicy, all in one little bite.
I must be craving sunshine, hot weather, and sand between my toes this week because I suddenly had a hankering for crab cakes. They’re usually a summertime treat for us, especially if we’ve been fortunate enough to have harvested our own crabs. There is nothing like crab cakes made with fresh ocean-caught crab!
These Bangkok Crab Cakes satisfied that yearning–although I could sure use some sunny beach time now. These little morsels have a well-seasoned filler that lets the taste of sweet crab dominate. Garlic, ginger, fish sauce and chili peppers bolster the flavour without overpowering the natural sweetness of the crab meat. While the seasonings are intense, they don’t mask its flavour.
Tips for making Crab Cakes
- Fresh crab is always best for crab cakes. I like to leave it lumpy instead of flaking the meat.
- Fold the ingredients together gently to avoid a pasty texture.
- Using egg whites as a binder works well in this recipe.
- Chill the crab cakes in the refrigerator before frying to make sure they won’t fall apart in the pan.
- While pan frying is not the healthiest choice if you are avoiding extra oil in your diet, I like a crispy coating and frying is the best way to achieve it. Fry the crab cakes quickly in hot oil and drain the excess oil immediately on paper towel to ensure a crisp exterior.
The dipping sauce will knock your socks off! Fish sauce, tamari (or coconut aminos), garlic, chili and lime combine to make a dip that packs a surprising punch, but leaves you wanting more. A little goes a long way. Once you taste it, look out. You may want it on everything.
But if you don’t have time to make this dip, these crab cakes are also delicious with mango salsa, with peanut sauce, or even with Thai chili sauce.
While traditional Maryland crab cakes made with mayonnaise, lemon and Old Bay seasoning are delicious, I wanted to try something a little different to accompany our Thai-inspired meal. You might want to try these Bangkok Crab Cakes with Asian Pear Slaw with Ginger and Lime, Easy Thai Baked Chicken or Thai Chicken Skewers and Thai Coconut Rice. Eating as if you’re in the tropics is the next best thing to being there, right?
- 1 cup cooked crab meat
- 2 egg whites
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp canned green chiles, finely chopped
- 1 handful cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp heaped cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Panko crumbs, plus 1 cup for coating the cakes**
- 1 teaspoon coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos or tamari soy sauce
- 1 tsp heaped cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp dried Thai red chile, very finely minced (about 1 )
- leaves a few of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- In a medium bowl, gently break apart the crab meat. Whisk two egg whites and add to bowl along with minced garlic, ginger, fish sauce, chili peppers, cilantro, cornstarch and 1/4 cup Panko crumbs.
- Fold together gently until well combined without over mixing.
- Form into 1-inch patties about 3/4 inch thick. Coat with Panko crumbs** and place on a baking sheet.
- Refrigerate while you prepare the dipping sauce.
- In a small saucepan, whisk all sauce ingredients together. Heat over medium heat until it boils and thicken. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat until it ripples. Carefully add the crab cakes. Fry on one side for 4 - 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn and fry on the other side for 3 - 4 minutes. Internal temperature should register 145°F. Serve immediately with Spicy Dipping Sauce.
Did you know that you can now buy Gluten-Free Panko crumbs? I find that using Panko produces the crispiest coating for these crab cakes.
Kitchen Items I used to make these Bangkok Crab Cakes
Stainless Steel Skillet and Metal Fish Turner
If you like crab cakes, you’ll love these wild salmon cakes, too!
Asian Wild Salmon Cakes
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