Crispy Basil Seafood Patties with Sweet Chili Dip
Who knew you could make a burger patty out of seafoods? Well, here's one great recipe you can make: basil seafood patty.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- 10-inch deep skillet or Dutch oven for frying
- Instant-read thermometer
- 3 shallow bowls or dishes (for breading station)
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Wire cooling rack set over a sheet pan
Ingredients
For the Patty Mixture
- 1 cup shrimp about 6 oz / 170g, deveined, peeled, and chopped
- 1 cup crabstick about 6 oz / 170g, chopped finely
- ½ cup onion chopped, about 75g
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced, about 3 cloves
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 3 slices white sandwich bread about 3 oz / 85g, torn into small pieces
- 3-4 tablespoons basil chopped
- ¼ cup yellow bell pepper finely diced, about 40g
- 1 medium egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour about 15g
For the Breading Station
- ½ cup all-purpose flour about 60g
- 1 medium egg beaten
- ½-1 cup plain breadcrumbs about 60-120g
For the Dipping Sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- ½ medium lemon zested, plus a squeeze of lemon juice
For Frying
- 2 inches oil for deep frying vegetable, canola, or peanut — enough to fill pan to 5cm depth
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, crabstick, onion, garlic, fish sauce, torn bread, basil, bell pepper, and 2 tablespoons flour. Add about half of the beaten egg and mix well. The mixture should be moist enough to hold together when pressed but not soggy. If it already binds, reserve the remaining egg for the breading station.1 cup shrimp, 1 cup crabstick, ½ cup onion, 1 tablespoon garlic, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 3 slices white sandwich bread, 3-4 tablespoons basil, ¼ cup yellow bell pepper, 1 medium egg, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare three separate bowls for the breadcrumbs, flour and egg (if the previous egg was not used completely, you could use that remaining egg here).½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 medium egg, ½-1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- Take out the mixture from the refrigerator. Using a spoon, scoop a small portion into your hands and shape it into a small ball. Press down lightly, so it forms into a patty shape.
- Dredge the patty with flour, dip into the egg (make sure that the patty is completely covered) then coat with breadcrumbs. Set aside.½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 medium egg, ½-1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- Repeat the process for the remaining patties.
- Heat 2 inches (5cm) of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F / 175°C. Working in batches of 3-4, carefully lower the patties into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain.2 inches oil for deep frying
- While the patties drain, prepare the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the sweet chilli sauce, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Squeeze in a little fresh lemon juice for added brightness. Taste and adjust seasoning.2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper, ½ medium lemon
- Serve the patties hot with the dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
Storage: Cooked patties keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a 375°F / 190°C oven for 8-10 minutes to restore crispness — microwaving will make the coating soggy.
Freezer: Freeze uncooked breaded patties on a parchment-lined tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Fry from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the cook time. Keeps for up to 2 months.
Make-Ahead: Shape and bread the patties up to 24 hours ahead. Store on a parchment-lined tray, covered, in the fridge.
Substitution: Swap crabstick for real lump crab meat for a more delicate flavour, or use an equal amount of firm white fish like cod.
Pro Tip: Keep one hand dry and one hand wet during the breading process — use your dry hand for flour and breadcrumbs, wet hand for the egg dip. This prevents clumpy buildup on your fingers.
Chill Time: This recipe includes a 30-minute chill step (not included in the prep or cook time above). Do not skip it — the mixture must firm up to hold its shape during breading and frying.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 13gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 509mgPotassium: 186mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 113IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 2mg
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