Snoek Fish Cakes Recipe for Friday Lunch

In many coastal South African homes, Friday lunch is practically synonymous with fish, a delicious tradition born from generations of heritage and coastal abundance. These spiced snoek fish cakes bring together flaky smoked fish, creamy potatoes, and warm Cape Malay spices for a midday meal that feels both comforting and celebratory.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500 grams floury potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 300 grams smoked snoek, flaked and checked carefully for bones
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 100 grams standard cake flour for dusting
• 100 millilitres sunflower oil for shallow frying
• Lemon wedges to serve

Method

1. Place the quartered potatoes in a medium saucepan of salted water, bring to the boil over medium-high heat, and cook for 15 minutes until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly and mash until smooth with no lumps.
2. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large mixing bowl and add the flaked smoked snoek, diced red onion, chopped chillies, and fresh coriander.
3. Sprinkle the ground cumin and ground coriander into the mixture, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and stir gently to combine everything evenly.
4. Add the beaten egg to the bowl and mix well until the ingredients bind together into a workable consistency.
5. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and shape each portion gently into a neat, round patty with your hands.
6. Lightly dust each fish cake in the cake flour, shaking off any excess flour so they have a very thin coating.
7. Heat the sunflower oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat for 4 minutes until shimmering hot.
8. Carefully place the fish cakes into the hot oil in batches, frying for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and delightfully crispy.
9. Transfer the cooked fish cakes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil before serving.

Tips

Make sure to cool your mashed potatoes slightly before mixing them with the fish and egg to prevent the egg from scrambling prematurely. Always supervise children and pets closely around hot frying pans and heated cooking oil in the kitchen.

Serving suggestions

Serve these warm Friday fish cakes immediately with fresh lemon wedges, a side of crisp garden salad, and a dollop of smooth apricot jam mixed with a dash of chilli sauce for that classic sweet and spicy South African contrast.