Vietnamese Fish Cake (Chả Cá) with Dill

Fridge CookingVietnamese food
Written By Hang nguyen

Simple, fragrant, and perfect with rice


This is one of those simple dishes I like to make at home.

In Vietnam, chả cá is often made with a fish called cá thác lác, where the fish is scraped and prepared for you. You just bring it home, season it, and cook.

Here, I use tilapia because it’s easy to find and works very well. The texture is smooth, and it’s easy to handle.

I like to add dill, which gives the fish cake a fresh, fragrant flavor. For me, dill and fish are always a good combination.







Ingredients

  • 570g tilapia (cleaned)

  • 1–2 tbsp cornstarch

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • 1–2 tbsp fish sauce

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2–3 cloves garlic (minced)

  • Black pepper

  • A handful of fresh dill (chopped)

  • Ice cubes (for blending)

  • Oil for frying



Instructions



1. Prepare the Fish

Wash the fish with salt and rinse clean.

Cut into small pieces.



2. Season and Rest

Add:

  • Cornstarch

  • salt

  • baking powder

  • fish sauce

  • garlic

  • black pepper



Mix well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to chill.


3. Blend the Fish Paste

Transfer the mixture to a food processor.

Blend until smooth, adding a few ice cubes to keep the mixture cold and help create a bouncy texture.



4. Add Dill

Mix in chopped dill for flavor.



5. Shape and Cook

  • Spread the fish paste onto parchment paper into a thin layer

  • Or shape into patties



dipping sauce (fish sauce + Thai chili)





 


It’s not exactly the same as back home, but it carries the same flavor in a simpler way.

Hang nguyen
Next

Flavors of My Travel: Sugar, Trains, and Chocolate Croissants