Simon Rimmer's Thai spicy fish cakes

Chef Simon Rimmer's Thai spicy fish cakes are made with mashed potato, flaked salmon and a flavourful mix of spices.

Four golden fishcakes on a plate garnished with chopped spring onion
Getty
Published - 13 Aug 2026

Fish cakes are an excellent way to use up leftover mashed potato, and this recipe uses Thai curry paste and chilli to give them a gorgeous Asian spicy flavour.

These spicy salmon fish cakes can be made a day ahead and chilled in the fridge overnight, then freshly fried when you are ready to eat them.

Chef Simon Rimmer co-hosts Channel 4's Sunday Brunch alongside Tim Lovejoy. You can follow Simon Rimmer on Instagram @rimmersimon .

Prep time
20 mins
Cooking time
10 mins
Serves
6

Ingredients

  • 300g boiled potatoes, drained and mashed
  • 1 raw potato, coarsely grated and squeezed in a clean tea towel to extract excess moisture
  • 2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
  • 300g cooked salmon fillet, skinned and flaked
  • 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
  • 2 small red chillies, finely chopped, with seeds
  • 3 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 4 tbsp polenta
  • Vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Method

  1. Mix the mashed and grated potatoes together in a large bowl. Stir in the Thai green curry paste, then the flaked salmon, spring onions, chillies, coriander and garlic. Season with a little salt and pepper.
  2. Divide the mixture into six and, using wet hands, shape them into round patties about 1cm thick.
  3. Set up three plates or shallow bowls. Put the beaten egg in one, the flour in another and the polenta in another.
  4. First, roll the cakes in the flour, dusting off any excess. Next, roll them in the egg and, finally, in the polenta to coat.
  5. Heat a little vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Place the fish cakes in the hot oil and fry for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden.
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