Palak's Palate: Tilapia Cakes/Patties and Raita Recipe

For weight loss purposes, I started eating fish this year. I needed more protein in my diet and fish seemed like a good way to get it in without a lot of calories. Since then, I've been experimenting in the kitchen, trying to come up with new ways to cook it.

When I've told people that I've started eating fish, many have asked about which fish I've tried and whether the decision extends to all seafood. Then they tell me that they love crab cakes. Taking that recommendation, I decided to come up with a recipe using one of the fish that I've actually tried, tilapia. So here's what I came up with - Tilapia Cakes/Patties:

Tilapia Cakes/Patties Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound tilapia (4 filets)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped white onion
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons Panko
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 dashes hot sauce
Salt and ground pepper
Olive oil mist/spray

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the tilapia filets and pat dry. Mist a baking sheet with olive oil and place filets on the baking sheet. Mist the tops of the filets with olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through.

2. Once the fish is cooked, use a fork to flake it.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg, and add in the flaked fish, chopped onion, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, dijon mustard, Panko, cilantro, hot sauce, and 1/8 tsp each of salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

4. Form mixture into eight equal-size patties and place on a baking sheet or cutting board or plate. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I let mine sit in the fridge overnight).

5. To cook, mist some olive oil onto a nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat. Place patties onto skillet and cook two-three minutes on each side.