The term “fish slice” can refer to an Asian-style fish cake, a slice of fish meat, or a British spatula. Cooks should be aware of the context to avoid confusion. Asian-style fish cakes are made of mashed fish and come in different shapes, while British fish slices are used as a utensil to flip food. When using a fish slice with nonstick pans, cooks should be careful not to damage the surface.
The term “fish slice” refers to three different elements. One is a slice of an Asian-style fish cake that is shaped like a flattened log. A second is literally a slice of fish meat, such as a fish fillet. The third term is a British name for a broad, flat, grooved spatula. The context of the sentence or conversation makes it easier to distinguish between food and utensil meanings, but it can be easy to confuse the two food meanings.
Asian-style pastries are made of mashed fish, and some varieties contain other ingredients such as chopped or chopped vegetables. These are not the same as the fish cakes prevalent in British and American diets. Those pastries contain minced fish, vegetables, and bread crumbs held together with beaten and fried or baked eggs. The fish in an Asian-style fish cake is mashed into a great meal and pressed into different shapes: The fish slices come from a flat log or brick-like shape. Fish slices are often used in soups and stir-fries.
Cooks trying Asian-style recipes that call for fish slices should make sure they know whether the fish slice in question is the Asian-fishcake type or just a plain regular fish slice. Typically professionally published cookbooks will note the type of fish if it’s not supposed to be the fish pie type. Recipes passed down by family and friends, however, are a very different matter because not everyone realizes that the two terms might confuse someone new to cooking.
The British kitchen utensil known as a fish slice is also called a spatula, pancake turner, Pelton spatula or slotted turner. It initially got its name from the fact that it was flat enough to lift chunks of food, such as fish, which could quickly break off and disintegrate. The utensil has become a real all-rounder, and it’s not unusual to see recipe instructions asking cooks to flip a pancake with a slice of fish. The wide slotted part is thin but sturdy, allowing it to slide under fish or other food without breaking it. The turner part can be made of metal, silicone or other heat resistant material, but the long handle does not have to be of the same material.
As delicate as the fish slice may be with the food, cooks still need to be careful when sliding the fish slice under the food if the pan has a nonstick surface. Metal blades can cut the surface of the pan, especially if the food is stuck to it, which is possible even with a nonstick coating. The extra force and pressure required to get the fish slice’s blade under the food without tearing it in half increases the risk of ruining the pan. For this reason, cooks should be careful to use fish slices made from materials that are safe to use with nonstick pans.
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