These Bangkok Thai Crab Cakes have all our favourite Thai flavours. They're sweet, salty, sour, and spicy, all in one little crispy bite. Serve them with this knock-your-socks-off spicy dip.
Thai Crab Cakes are on my mind today!
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 Thai 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.
5 Tips for making the best 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 a paper towel to ensure a crisp exterior.
This Spicy Thai 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, peanut sauce, or even Thai chili sauce.
What should I serve with these Thai Crab Cakes?
While traditional Maryland crab cakes made with mayonnaise, lemon and Old Bay seasoning are delicious, I wanted to try something a little different to go with 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!
And if you're in the mood for Tex-Mex flavours, you might like these Crispy Tex-Mex Crab Cakes with Strawberry Mango Salsa.
Bangkok Crab Cakes with Spicy Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked crab meat
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp canned green chiles, finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp cornstarch heaped
- ¼ cup Panko crumbs, gluten-free, plus 1 cup for coating the cakes
For the dipping sauce
- 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
- 2 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 - 2 tsp dried Thai red chile, very finely minced (about 1 )
- 1 tbsp cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, gently break apart the crab meat. Whisk two egg whites and add to the bowl along with minced garlic, ginger, fish sauce, chili peppers, cilantro, cornstarch and ¼ cup Panko crumbs.
- Gently combine without over mixing.
- Form into 1-inch patties about ¾ 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 thickens. 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. The internal temperature should register 145°F. when measured with an instant-read thermometer.
- Serve immediately with Spicy Dipping Sauce.
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