Every Thursday on the Good Food Blog we share a recipe from our archives.
New York chef, Floyd Cardoz, is the author of One Spice, Two Spice: American Food, Indian Flavors. He first shared this recipe for Goan Spiced Crab Cakes on October 14, 2006.
Yield: 4 servings
¼ c corn oil
1 onion, diced small
1 tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger
½ tbsp minced garlic
1 ts coriander seeds, ground
1 ts cumin seed, ground
¼ tsp turmeric
1 Tomato; diced small
1 c crabmeat, carefully picked
2 medium shrimp, minced to fine paste
2 limes, zested (chopped), and juiced
8 sprigs cilantro, washed
1 tb chopped chives
1 egg, beaten
1 c panko (available in Japanese specialty Stores)
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Cayenne to taste
In a large saute pan, heat one tablespoon of the corn oil. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and saute for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and the tomato and continue to cook until it turns dry. Remove from the heat and cool down. In a large mixing bowl, combine crabmeat, the cooled onion mixture, shrimp, chopped lime zest and juice, cilantro, chives, beaten egg and 3 tablespoons of the panko. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Mix well so that all the ingredients are well incorporated. Test a small quantity by forming a teaspoon of this mix into a small patty and frying it in a pan. Adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Divide this mixture into 4 equal portions. Form into balls and flatten to form small patties. Put the rest of the panko on a cutting board. Place the patties one at a time in the bread crumbs. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet large enough to hold the crab cakes on medium heat. Add the oil and fry the crab cakes. When the cakes turn a light golden color, flip them over and cook them on the other side until they are light golden in color. Using a slotted spatula, remove and drain on a paper towel.