Thai Crab Cakes with Orange and Avocado Salsa

Cakes:

• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk

• 1 lb crab meat

• 2 egg whites

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

• 2 tablespoons shallots minced

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 1 tablespoon dry sherry

• 1 tablespoon orange zest

• 1/4 cup cilantro minced

• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs or Panko (plus more for coating)

• vegetable oil for frying

In a saucepan gently boil coconut milk and reduce to 3/4 cup.  Cool.  Mix everything together and chill for 15 minutes.  Try forming patties- if the mixture is too wet, add 2 more tablespoons of crumbs to the mixture and chill for another 15 minutes.  Form into 10 to 12 patties.  Dredge each patty in dry bread crumbs and place on a cookie sheet.  Refrigerate until you're ready to cook.  Fry in 1/4 inch deep oil until browned on both sides.
 
Salsa:

• 2 cups avocados diced

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1/2 cup red onion chopped

• Chilies chopped to taste- fresh or jarred

• 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir together and serve with hot crab cakes.