Vegan Fishless Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 large (about 475 g fresh, chopped; see notes)banana heart or banana blossom
• as neededneutral oil, for cooking
• ½ tsp, or to tastesalt
• 60 g (½ cup)plain flour, plus more as needed
• ½ tbspbaking powder
• 3 tbspnori flakes
• ½–1 tsp, to tastesalt
• a dashground pepper
• 250 gextra-firm tofu
• 60–120 ml (¼–½ cup)water
• about 110–165 g (1–1½ cups), or more as neededbreadcrumbs
• as neededneutral oil, for frying
• to tastelime juice
• to tastesweet chilli sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare fresh banana heart

   If using fresh banana heart, remove the outer layers until you reach the pale-yellow centre. Halve it, cut it into wedges, shred it thinly and chop the shreds into small pieces; a food processor can also be used. For optional salting, toss the sliced banana heart with about 1 tbsp coarse or rock salt and leave it for 15–20 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid and rinse under running water.

2. 2

   Cook banana heart

   Heat a large wok or pan over medium-high heat and add a little neutral oil. Sauté the chopped fresh banana heart with 1 tsp salt over medium to medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, until tender and reduced in size. It will change from pale yellow to light grey; turn off the heat when ready. If using canned banana blossom, drain it, chop it finely and squeeze out excess liquid instead; skip the cooking step.

3. 3

   Mix the cake batter

   In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nori flakes or chopped nori sheets, salt and pepper. Add the tofu and mash it with a fork. For fresh banana heart, start with about ¼ cup water and mix to make a very thick batter; the tofu's moisture also helps bring it together. You can omit the water if using canned banana blossom. Stir in the prepared banana heart until evenly combined.

4. 4

   Adjust the mixture

   If the tofu is dry, add 1–2 tbsp more water and mix. Shape a little mixture into a ball with your hands; it should hold together. If it is too wet, mix in 1–2 tbsp or more flour so the cakes are easier to shape.

5. 5

   Shape and coat

   Put some breadcrumbs in a large bowl or on a plate. Take a golf-ball-sized portion of mixture, pat it into a small cake about 5 cm (2 inches) across and 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick, then coat it in breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding more breadcrumbs as needed.

6. 6

   Heat the oil

   For deep-frying, heat enough neutral oil in a large pan or wok to submerge the cakes. For pan-frying, use a skillet or cast-iron pan with enough oil to coat its surface. Test the oil with a few breadcrumbs: they should sizzle straight away. The oil should be very hot, about 193°C (380°F), so the cakes crisp without soaking up excess oil.

7. 7

   Fry the cakes

   Carefully fry a few cakes at a time, depending on the size of the pan. For deep-frying, cook for 1–2 minutes until golden and crisp, then turn and crisp the other side. If pan-frying, cook each side until golden and crisp; this may take longer depending on the amount of oil. Drain the cooked cakes and repeat, keeping the heat on and avoiding lowering it during cooking.

8. 8

   Serve hot

   Serve the cakes while hot and crisp, with a squeeze of lime juice and sweet chilli sauce or another dipping sauce.

What are vegan fishless cakes?

These are plant-based patties inspired by Thai fish cakes, made here with banana heart, tofu and nori rather than fish. Banana heart is the edible inner part of the banana flower, used in a range of Southeast Asian cooking.

Nori adds a sea-like savouriness, while tofu and flour help bind the mixture. A crisp breadcrumb coating and a sharp squeeze of lime make this version especially good with sweet chilli sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 62 calories, 3g protein, 11g carbs, 1g fat.

The recipe's stated nutrition per serving is 62 kcal, with 11 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein and 1 g fat. Flour and breadcrumbs contribute most of the carbohydrate, while tofu supplies some protein; frying oil contributes fat. Pair a portion with vegetables or salad for a more substantial plate.

Getting the banana heart ready

Fresh banana heart: Peel away the firm outer layers until the pale, tender centre is exposed, then shred and chop it finely. Cooking the pieces for 4–5 minutes helps remove excess moisture before they go into the batter.

Canned banana blossom: Drain, chop and squeeze it well. The recipe skips the cooking step for canned blossom, and it also omits the added water used with fresh blossom.

Building a mixture that holds

Flour and baking powder: These form the base of the batter, while tofu adds substance and moisture. Mash the tofu directly into the dry ingredients, then fold in the prepared banana heart.

Water and flour: Start with the smaller amount of water for fresh blossom, then adjust only after mixing. The mixture should form a ball that holds together; add water a tablespoon at a time if it is dry, or flour if it is too wet.

Shaping and coating

Even portions: Use a golf-ball-sized amount for each cake, then press it into a patty about 5 cm across and 2.5 cm thick. Keeping the cakes similar in size helps them cook at a similar pace.

Breadcrumb coating: Coat each patty all over so the surface can crisp in the hot oil. Keeping one hand for the mixture and the other for the crumbs can make the coating step less messy.

Frying for a crisp finish

Hot oil: Breadcrumbs should sizzle as soon as they hit the oil; the method gives about 193°C as a guide. Fry in small batches so the cakes have room to brown.

Golden colour: Deep-fried cakes take 1–2 minutes per side in the method, while pan-frying can take longer. Look for a crisp, golden surface, drain each batch, and keep the heat steady between batches.

Serving the cakes

Serve them as soon as they are cooked, while the crumb coating is still crisp. Lime juice cuts through the savoury cakes, and sweet chilli sauce provides a sweet, tangy dip.

They also work as part of a larger meal alongside rice or a fresh salad. Add the lime at the table rather than before frying.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the banana heart finely so it mixes evenly through the cakes.
• Squeeze canned banana blossom thoroughly to avoid adding excess moisture.
• Begin with the lower amount of water and add more only if the mixture is dry.
• Shape a test ball before forming all the patties to check that the mixture holds.
• Fry in batches and let the oil return to temperature between them.
• Keep the cooked cakes warm while you finish frying the remaining batches.

Variations

• Use another flour: Substitute a flour of your choice, adding enough to make a mixture that holds its shape.
• Adjust the sea flavour: Use chopped nori sheets in place of nori flakes.
• Change the dip: Serve with another dipping sauce instead of sweet chilli sauce.
• Add more lime: Offer extra lime juice at the table for a sharper finish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet banana blossom: Squeeze out excess liquid before mixing so the cakes are easier to shape.
• Too much water at once: Start with about ¼ cup for fresh blossom and add more only if needed.
• Loose mixture: Mix in 1–2 tbsp flour at a time until a shaped ball holds together.
• Crowded pan: Fry a few cakes at a time so they have room to crisp.
• Oil not hot enough: Check that breadcrumbs sizzle immediately before adding the cakes.
• Turning down the heat: Keep the heat steady while frying each batch to help the coating crisp.

How to store

Cool leftover cakes and refrigerate them in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven or pan until warmed through and crisp again; the crumb coating may soften during storage.

Frequently asked questions