Tod Mun Pla Thai Fish Cakes
Bouncy, herb-fragrant Thai fish cakes pan-fried until golden, made with red curry paste and fresh kaffir lime leaves. Served with a tangy cucumber relish for an authentic street-food experience.
Ingredients
- 1 lb white fish fillets (cod, tilapia, or catfish), roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 5 leaves fresh kaffir lime leaves (or 1 tsp lime zest), very finely sliced
- 1/2 cup green beans or long beans, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1/2 cup Thai cucumber relish (ajad) or sliced cucumber with vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
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1
Place 1 lb roughly chopped white fish fillets (cod, tilapia, or catfish) in a food processor with 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 large egg, and 2 tsp granulated sugar. Pulse until a smooth, slightly sticky paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
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2
Transfer the paste to a bowl and fold in 5 leaves very finely sliced fresh kaffir lime leaves (or 1 tsp lime zest) and 1/2 cup thinly sliced green beans or long beans by hand until evenly distributed.
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3
Wet your hands lightly and form the mixture into round patties about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. You should get about 12 patties for the standard batch.
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4
Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil (for frying) in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Fry the patties in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through.
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5
Drain on paper towels and serve hot with 1/2 cup Thai cucumber relish (ajad) or sliced cucumber with vinegar and garnished with 1/4 cup fresh cilantro.