Tod Mun Pla - Thai Fish Cakes

5 from 2 votes

Tod Mun Pla - Thai Fish Cakes

Tod Mun Pla are crispy Thai fish cakes made with white fish and red curry paste. One batch makes 16 pieces in 25 minutes, served with sweet chili sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Diet: Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose

Servings: pieces

Calories: 49kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

1 ⅛ lbs white fish with soft flesh (Basa, Tilapia, Bass or Snapper) (500 grams)
2 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoon red curry paste
1 red chili (chopped)
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 egg
¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
5 spring onions (sliced)
2 kaffir lime leaves (finely julienned)
½ lemongrass (finely chopped)
salt (to taste)
oil for frying

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Fish Cake Mixture

Finely chop the lemongrass, and place it in a bowl along with the sliced spring onions, julienned lime leaves, and chopped coriander.
Place the fish, fish sauce, red curry paste, breadcrumbs, red chili, lime juice, egg, and sugar in your food processor bowl, and pulse to purée the mixture into a sticky paste. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Add the fish mixture into the bowl and mix with a spatula until nicely combined.
Have a bowl of cold water to wet your hands and shape the mixture into patties to avoid the fish mixture sticking to your hands. You will have 16 patties of approximately 45 grams - 1 ½ oz each.

Pan Fry the Fish Cakes

Place a large skillet or heavy-based pan on medium heat and add some oil, just enough to cover the base of the pan.
When the oil is hot enough, carefully place the patties in the pan. Do it in 2 or 3 batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Fry the patties for 2-3 minutes, until nicely browned, flip, and then fry the other side for another few minutes.
Repeat the same with the remaining patties and let them cool down for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use white fish with tender meat such as Basa, Tilapia, Bass, or Snapper if you want your fish cakes to have a soft texture.
Pat the fish dry before it goes into the processor. A wet fillet makes a loose mixture that's hard to shape.
Pulse the fish just until it turns into a paste. The longer you process it, the bouncier and firmer the cakes get.
Wet your hands when shaping the mixture into patties to avoid the mixture sticking to your hands.
Keep the heat at medium and avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry in 2 or 3 batches if necessary.
To make things quicker and easier, use a bottled sweet chili sauce and add some sliced shallots, cucumber, and chopped peanuts to it.
You can shape the patties ahead and keep them in the fridge for up to 48 hours before frying.
The leftovers keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge, and they freeze for up to a month once completely cooled.
Reheat in a preheated 180° C - 356° F oven for about 10 minutes, or use an air fryer.

Nutrition