Salt Cod Fritters with Asian Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• For the fritters

• 1 lb salt cod, desalted per package instructions
• ¼ cup fine chiffonade fresh basil
• ¼ cup fine chiffonade fresh mint
• 1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 2 scallions, green sections only thinly sliced
• 1 pinch of hot pepper flakes, more to taste
• 1 Tablespoon freshly ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 large eggs
• Canola oil
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• 1 ½ cup plain panko bread crumbs

• For the dipping sauce

• ¼ cup sesame oil
• ¼ cup chili garlic sauce
• ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 scallions, white sections only, thinly sauced
• 1 Tablespoon fish sauce

Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add de-salted cod. Cover tightly and turn off heat. Let sit for 15 minutes. Remove fish from water and cool until able to handle.
2. Flake the fish into the bowl of a food processor, keeping an eye out for bones. Process until fairly smooth. Move into a large bowl and stir in the herbs, garlic, scallion, pepper flakes, ginger, salt and pepper. Gradually add 1/4 - 1/3 cup of panko breadcrumbs, until mixture is slightly stiff. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the eggs. Form the mixture into golf ball sized balls. If the mixture is too wet and the balls are not holding together you can stir in a bit more panko.
3. In a shallow dish, combine the sesame seeds and remaining panko breadcrumbs. Roll the fish balls in the breadcrumbs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil and enough canola oil to about 1”- 1 ½” deep to between 325 - 350. Fry until gold brown on all sides.
5. To make the dipping sauce: Whisk together all ingredients and serve with the fish balls. Makes about 24 fritters.