Curry Beer-Battered Fish & Shrimp Cakes
June 25th, 2025Fish Cakes for Summer Snacking and More from Chef Mandy Dixon
These beer-battered fish & shrimp cakes are a different take on “fish and chips,” featuring a curry-spiced fish cake bite that can be served as an appetizer or tossed into a summer salad. We enjoy eating baskets of them while sitting out on the dock in the sun.
This recipe is perfect for any type of Alaskan fish you prefer to use — wild salmon, white fish, it’s completely up to you. To bind the cakes, we use shrimp rather than eggs or crackers, which adds sweetness and helps keep them moist as they cook.
About the chef: Chef Mandy Dixon is a James Beard nominee and chef/owner of Tutka Bay Lodge in Kachemak Bay. She is a lifelong Alaskan whose cuisine celebrates the vibrant possibility of harvests from the land and sea.
Curry Beer-Battered Fish & Shrimp Cakes
By Wild Alaskan Company
The prep time for these beer-battered fish cakes includes 30 minutes of resting time. The finished recipe will yield 16 to 20 fish cakes, or approximately 8 appetizer-sized servings.
Prep time
60 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total time
85 minutes
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
- 3 (6 oz.) portions Alaskan fish, any species
- 1 (6 oz.) pack sidestriped shrimp, peeled and chopped
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 cup IPA-style beer
- 2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Fill a high-sided saucepan with 2 inches of water and set over high heat. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf, and 2 lemon quarters, bring the pot to a simmer.
2. Gently pat fish dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towel, then place the fish into this poaching liquid and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Poach the fish until the flesh has just begun to turn opaque, 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Using a fish spatula or slotted spoon, remove the fish from the water and set it onto paper towels to drain and cool.
3. Empty the saucepan and return it to the stove over medium-high heat. Add butter, onion, and garlic, and sauté until the onion turns translucent, 3-5 minutes. Place the onion mixture into a bowl and let cool.
4. Place the cooked fish, shrimp, cooled onion mixture, and parsley into a food processor. Pulse the mixture several times until the fish and vegetables are combined. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Prepare a small bowl of cold water. Remove the fish mixture from the refrigerator. Moistening your hands with cold water, form the fish mixture into 2-ounce balls or squares (about 2 inches in diameter).
6. Meanwhile, heat up the vegetable oil in a heavy 4-quart casserole or deep-fryer and warm over medium-high heat until it reads 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer.
7. When oil is hot, make the curry batter. Mix together 1 cup of flour, curry powder, and beer in a medium bowl. Fold in the egg whites until just combined. Place the remaining flour on a small plate for dredging the fish. One at a time, slightly flatten a piece of fish and dredge it in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the fish into the beer batter, then drop it into the hot oil. Fry the fish cakes until they puff and turn light golden brown, 6-8 minutes.
8. Transfer the fish cakes to paper towels to drain. Serve warm.
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.
