Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla)

Name: Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla)
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 500g White Fish Fillets, skinless, boneless, cut into chunks; 2 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste; 1 Egg, large; 1 1/2 tbsp Fish Sauce; 1 tsp Palm Sugar; 2 tbsp Rice Flour; 1/2 cups Yardlong beans, finely sliced; 6 Kaffir Lime Leaves, very finely shredded, central vein removed; 1 tbsp Water, ice-cold, for texture; 120ml Rice Vinegar; 60ml Water; 75g Sugar; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1 Cucumber, small, deseeded and diced; 2 Shallots, small, thinly sliced; 1 1/2 Thai Bird's Eye Chilis, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp Peanuts, roasted, coarsely crushed; 1 tbsp Cilantro, chopped (optional)

These Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla) are aromatic, slightly spicy patties with a tender, springy interior and a crisp, golden exterior — classic street-food comfort with a fresh, zesty dipping sauce. Fragrant red curry and kaffir lime lift the white fish, while chopped yardlong beans add a pleasant crunch. Serve warm with a quick cucumber salad and crushed peanuts for contrast.

These Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla) are aromatic, slightly spicy patties with a tender, springy interior and a crisp, golden exter... Show more

Traditional Thai Recipe

Health Grade

C+ · Balanced

Time

40 min

Price

1,12 €

Calories

374 kcal

low calorie

meal prep

comfort food

potluck

Method

Wash the produce

Rinse the yardlong beans, kaffir lime leaves, cucumber, Thai bird's eye chili, and cilantro under cold water. Rinse the shallot too, then peel it and pat everything dry well so the relish stays crisp and the fish mixture doesn't get watered down.

Slice and chop

Trim the beans and slice them very finely. Remove the tough center vein from the lime leaves, stack the leaves, and shred them into very thin threads. Halve the cucumber lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and dice it small; thinly slice the shallot and chili, coarsely crush the roasted peanuts, and roughly chop the cilantro if you're using it. Check the white fish fillets for any stray bones or bits of skin, cut them into small chunks, then chop and scrape repeatedly with your knife until the fish turns into a sticky, coarse paste.

Simmer the pickle

Put the rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid looks clear, about 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let the liquid cool until just warm.

Soak the relish

Combine the diced cucumber, sliced shallot, and chili in a bowl, then pour the warm pickling liquid over them. Give everything a good stir and let it sit for 10 minutes so the vegetables soften slightly while keeping their crunch. Hold back the peanuts and cilantro for later so they stay fresh and crisp.

Mix the fish paste

Beat the egg in a small bowl and measure out about 1 tablespoon; save the rest for another use. Add that to the chopped fish along with the Thai red curry paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, rice flour, the sliced beans, the shredded lime leaves, and the 1/4 tablespoon ice-cold water. Stir firmly, then slap and fold the mixture against the side of the bowl for 1 to 2 minutes until it looks sticky, smooth, and springy.

Chill the mixture

Cover the fish mixture and chill it for 10 minutes so it firms up and is easier to shape.

Heat the pan

Set a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium heat until it's properly hot. If you like, add a very thin film of neutral oil for easier browning, but keep the heat moderate so the curry paste doesn't scorch.

Fry the fish cakes

Wet your hands, divide the chilled mixture into 4 small patties, and flatten them to about 1/2 inch thick. Lay them in the hot skillet and cook for 2 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more, until the outside is deep golden and the centers feel firm and cooked through. If a cake still looks wet in the middle, give it another minute.

Serve and garnish

Lift the fish cakes onto plates. Stir the crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro into the cucumber relish, then spoon the relish alongside or over the fish cakes and serve while the cakes are still hot.