Thai Crab Cake

Ingredients:
• approx. 8 oz. (240 g.) drained crabmeat
• 3 spring (green) onions, finely sliced
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, snipped into slivers with scissors (discard stem), OR zest of 1 lime
• 1 fresh red chili, minced, OR 1/2 tsp. dried crushed chili
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2-3 eggs
• optional: 2 tsp. mayonnaise (not strictly Thai, but I find it helps keep the cakes moist)
• 1+3/4 cups Panko breadcrumbs (available in most supermarkets)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt OR 1/4 tsp. salt
• approx. 1 cup oil for frying

To serve: Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Method:

1. Place crabmeat, onions, lime leaf slivers (or zest), chili, fish sauce, oyster sauce, 1 egg, mayonnaise (if using) and 3/4 cup panko together in a food processor or chopper. Blitz to combine ingredients.
2. Add up to 1/4 cup more panko and briefly blitz or stir to combine. You want the mixture to be moist enough to form cakes, but not so moist that it falls apart. Add more panko until you can form cakes easily in your hands.
3. Pat mixture into cakes (I usually make them 2 to 3 inches in diameter). Place on a clean plate.
4. Now pour 3/4 cup panko into a mixing bowl and add the garlic salt, stirring to mix. In a separate, smaller bowl, break 1 large or 2 small eggs and briefly whisk.
5. Dip the crab cakes first into the egg, then roll in the panko mixture to cover. Set on a clean surface.
6. Pour oil into a small frying pan or wok set over medium-high heat (oil should be 1 inch deep). Heat for 1 minute or longer. To test if oil is hot enough, drop in a few panko crumbs - if they begin to sizzle right away, the hot is ready. Carefully place crab cakes in the hot oil. Reduce heat slightly to prevent overheating and splattering. Fry crab cakes 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
7. Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce.