Shrimp Cakes with Spicy Mayo

Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise; place under a plate and press down until cucumber breaks open; chop into ½-inch pieces. Peel and thinly slice shallot into rounds. Roughly chop cilantro. Thinly slice chili, removing seeds for less heat. Roughly chop peanuts.

In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, shallot, nuoc cham sauce, and a pinch of salt.

Rinse shrimp* under cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Chop into pea-size pieces. TIP: The smaller the pieces of shrimp, the better the patties will hold together! If you have a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the shrimp patties and pulse until very finely chopped.

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, half the garlic-ginger scallion paste, half the tempura batter mix (all for 4 servings), salt, and pepper.

Form shrimp mixture into four equal patties (eight patties for 4).

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium heat. Add patties and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side, gently pressing down with a spatula after flipping. (For 4 servings, cook patties in batches.) TIP: If patties are browning too much, reduce heat to medium low. 

Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.