Chicken cakes with seaweed and lime

Ingredients to make 18

These are absolutely delicious juicy little patties, particularly if you like umami, salty and sour flavours. The pickled ginger adds a tart sharpness I like. They were inspired by some bite-size fish lollipops I came across in a Japanese store, coated in a seaweed-flecked batter. You could make them larger and serve them as chicken burgers in rolls instead, with ketchup, or perhaps even shape the mixture on to skewers like sheesh kebabs and grill or barbecue them. I also like serving them to people who think they don't, or wouldn't, like seaweed. They are always pleasantly surprised when I reveal, after a few mouthfuls, that the vital ingredient is the shiny, flaky sheets of sea vegetable.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Fold the seaweed sheets in half, then in half again. Snip across into thin strips but not totally to the end, and then snip across the other way over a bowl to make small squares.

Chop the chicken breasts into small pieces and pulse in a food processor with the garlic, chilli, pickled ginger and coriander.

Combine the chicken mixture with the lime zest and juice, seaweed, breadcrumbs and fish sauce, then season with salt and pepper. Shape into 18 small patties and place on an oiled baking tray. Brush with oil and cook for 10 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Perhaps serve with some mayonnaise spiked with a little lime zest and juice and with some home-made, skin-on chips. You could break up any leftover patties with a fork and use the mixture to make spring rolls, dim sum, little filo parcels or even stuffed baked tomatoes. Try making the patties with fish or crab, too.

2 sheets of seaweed
500g chicken breast
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 teaspoon pickled ginger
A handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Zest of 2 limes and juice of 1
50g breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Oil for brushing (I use mild olive oil)

From Flavour by Vicky Bhogal (Hodder & Stoughton £20)

Sommelier's choice

Enclos des Terasses White Cotes du Rhone 2007, France

This southern French white boasts enough weight and aroma to partner this spicy dish, with a subtle lemony freshness.

Laithwaites, £6.99, www.laithwaites.co.uk