Vietnamese Shrimp Cakes with Lime Beurre Blanc

These Vietnamese shrimp cakes with lime beurre blanc combine aromatic shrimp patties with a rich, tangy butter sauce for an elegant fusion dish that's surprisingly easy to make at home.

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Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Vietnamese Shrimp Cakes with Lime Beurre Blanc

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: shrimp

Servings: 2

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Lime beurre blanc

• 6 tablespoons cold butter cut into small chunks divided
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• ¼ cup clear rice wine
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce

Shrimp cakes

• 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 stalk lemongrass chopped
• 1 shallot sliced
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon sliced ginger
• 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 large egg white
• lettuce leaves, fresh mint, fresh cilantro, radish for serving

Instructions

• Make lime beuree blanc sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add chopped shallot and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add rice wine and vinegar and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook until the liquid has reduced to 2 tablespoons.
• Add heavy cream, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to low and add butter, adding a little at a time, whisking constantly until the butter melts. Remove from heat and add lime juice and fish sauce, stirring to combine. Keep warm and set aside.
• Prepare shrimp cakes. In a food processor or immersion blender, combine lemongrass, shallot, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons olive oil, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Blend until finely chopped. Add shrimp to the food processor along with cornstarch and egg white and pulse until the mixture comes together and the shrimp is coarsely chopped. Alternatively, chop the shrimp by hand and combine with the seasonings, cornstarch, and egg white until well combined.
• Use chopsticks to mix the shrimp mixture vigorously in one direction until the mixture becomes sticky, similar to shrimp paste.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. Portion ¼ cup shrimp mixture per shrimp cake and lay in the pan. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and serve shrimp cakes with lime beurre blanc, lettuce wraps, fresh herbs, and radish.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make sauce

Let's start with the lime beurre blanc, which sounds intimidating but is actually pretty straightforward.

You'll melt a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and sauté the chopped shallot until it's soft and fragrant. Then add the rice wine and vinegar, letting it simmer down until there are a couple of tablespoons of liquid left.

Stir in the heavy cream, reduce the heat to low, and add the remaining butter bit by bit, whisking constantly. This gradual addition is what keeps the sauce smooth and prevents it from splitting.

Finish with lime juice and fish sauce for that perfect tangy, umami kick, then keep it warm on the lowest heat while you make the shrimp cakes.

Step 2: Prepare shrimp

To make the shrimp cakes, combine lemongrass, shallot, garlic, ginger, and the seasonings in a food processor until everything's finely chopped.

Since it's such a small amount, I recommend using a small food processor or immersion blender.

Then add shrimp, cornstarch, and egg white, and pulse until the shrimp is coarsely chopped. You want some texture here, not a smooth paste.

Transfer everything to a bowl and use chopsticks to stir vigorously in one direction.

I know it sounds weird, but this technique develops the proteins in the shrimp and creates that sticky, bouncy texture that makes these cakes so tasty. I use this method when making Chinese meatballs, and it nails the texture every single time.

You'll know it's ready when the mixture looks almost paste-like and holds together when you press it.

Step 3: Cook shrimp cakes

Now it's time to cook the shrimp cakes, which is the easiest part. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and scoop about ¼ cup of the mixture per cake.

Use the bottom of a spatula to gently flatten them in the pan. Let them cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes on each side until they're deep golden brown.

Resist the urge to flip them too early, or they might fall apart. You'll know they're done when they feel firm to the touch and have that gorgeous caramelized crust.

Serve them immediately with the warm beurre blanc drizzled over top, and don't forget the lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, and radish on the side. You can wrap everything up like lettuce wraps, which adds a fun, interactive element to the meal.

One bite of these Vietnamese shrimp cakes with lime beurre blanc and I knew I had done it. The texture was spot on, and the sauce was the perfect accompaniment. Once you make these, you'll understand why I couldn't stop thinking about them after Denver.

For another delicious Vietnamese recipe, check out this Vietnamese-style meat jun and spicy chicken vermicelli soup!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can form the patties and refrigerate them for up to 4 hours before cooking. You can also freeze uncooked patties for up to 1 month - just place them on a baking sheet until frozen solid, then transfer to a freezer bag.
• Store: Keep the sauce and shrimp patties in separate containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

More Asian shrimp recipes

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