Oats Free Ginger-Turmeric Snapper Cakes with Carrot
These golden fish cakes are a serious weeknight showstopper — fragrant with fresh ginger and earthy turmeric, packed with tender hand-chopped snapper, and brightened by sweet shreds of carrot in every bite. Rice flour steps in as the binder here, doing exactly what you need without any grain that could cause trouble, so the cakes hold together beautifully in the pan and develop a genuinely crispy crust. Squeezing the moisture out of the grated carrot is a small but crucial step that keeps the texture compact and satisfying rather than soggy. Coconut oil gives each batch a rich, slightly nutty sear that plays perfectly against the cool, herb-flecked ricotta dipping sauce waiting in the fridge. That sauce — just ricotta, parsley, and a splash of apple cider vinegar — is deceptively simple and genuinely addictive. The whole thing comes together with straightforward pantry staples and fresh fish, no specialty products required, which makes it as practical as it is impressive.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the cakes
- 1 lb fresh red snapper fillets, skin removed, pin bones removed
- 1 cup finely grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp rice flour
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, for frying
For the dipping sauce
- ½ cup fresh ricotta
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the dipping sauce: stir together the ricotta, parsley, apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the cakes.
- 2
Pat the snapper fillets completely dry with paper towels, then finely chop them by hand into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch — do not use a food processor, as the fish should have some texture, not become a paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
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