Cod Cakes (Baby and Toddler-friendly)
Cod cakes are one of our favourite things to make at home. It's not only delicious, it's also super fuss-free to make and keep!
We'd make a big batch of Cod Cake Mix and stash the rest in the freezer for days when we want a snack, or a side dish.
So we thought to share this recipe that's handy for adults who love Cod Cakes, and parents who need meal ideas for their kids (we hear you!)
We engaged the help of our friend, E, who's a mother of 2 and this is her version, along with her notes, that's suitable for babies aged 10 months and above*.
Scroll below for the jazzed up version for adults. ;)
Cod Cakes for Toddlers
E: I pick Cod Fish out of all fishes for the health benefits -- it's packed with healthy fats, Omega-3 and minerals. You probably can make the same recipe with Salmon!
Most cod cake recipes for toddlers include potatoes, but I've made this potato-less version when I want to pair it with porridge. You can add potatoes or eggs if you want. I'd change up the vegetables used in this mix based on whatever I have in the fridge.
Some of the vegetables I've used for this recipe are pumpkin, grated burdock and Moroheiya. The ratio of fish to vegetables is entirely up to you, you can add more vegetables than fish if you want. I also use only wild-caught Cod Fish for my babies (from Zairyo, of course haha).
Unlike most recipes, I chose to bake them instead of pan frying. It would obviously be tastier pan fried, but this is healthier!
Ingredients, for 1~2 baby portions:
0.5 x wild-caught Silver Cod Fish Fillet, thawed
50G Broccoli, steamed or boiled until soft, then minced.
20G Carrots, steamed or boiled until soft, then minced.
Thumb-sized Sliced Ginger, OR Lemon. (to marinate the fish)
STEPS:
1. Marinate fish with sliced ginger. Or if you don't have any, you can squeeze a lemon and let it sit. This step reduces the fishyness.
2. Remove the skin.
3. Mince Cod Fish. You can do this by chopping with a knife or with a food processor. This reduces any chance of surprise bones!
4. Once you're done, move minced Cod Fish to a bowl. Add steamed and minced vegetables to minced Cod Fish.
5. Add Potato Starch Flour and mix well.
6. Shape them into any shape or size you want, but it would be best to make them small and flat so they can heat evenly.
7. Pre-heat oven to 175°C.
8. Line tray with baking paper or aluminium foil (oiled), then bake for 15 minutes to 20 minutes. (Time differs based on how thick or big your patty is. If it isn't cooked enough, pop it back into the oven).
E: We've skipped the salt, but you can definitely add some to taste. We froze any unused mix, portioned in a ziplock bag, and kept it for up to 7 days.
For the adults version, we added ingredients to the same mix (but doubled) above for SUPER tasty Cod Cakes.
If you're making it from scratch for adults, you can skip the vegetables if you want. We won't tell. ^^
Adults version Ingredients, serves 1~3pax:
1 piece x wild-caught Silver Cod Fish Fillet, thawed
100G Broccoli, steamed or boiled until soft, then minced.
40G Carrots, steamed or boiled until soft, then minced.
0.5 Yellow Onion, peeled and diced.
1 x Egg
30G Panko
1 HEAPING Tablespoon of Mayonnaise
A squeeze of Lemon, or 2 tsp of Yuzu Juice
1.5 tsp Salt
0.5 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Nanami Togarashi OR 1 Chilli Padi, chopped (Optional)
Follow the steps above and mix everything into the bowl will do.
If you are baking it, make sure to give it a good brush of oil. You can also pan fry it!
OISHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ^^
Try it and tag us on Instagram or Facebook to show us your version!
*Please proceed at your discretion. Or if you need to be absolutely sure, ask a pediatrician.