Thai Fish Cakes are a classic Thai street food and a favorite appetizer at Thai restaurants. It’s surprisingly easy to make at home – all you reeally need is your salmon from Alaska, red curry paste, egg or egg whites, garlic, green onion and fish or soy sauce. Everything else is optional! They should be firm but bouncy, almost a spongy texture, well seasoned, golden brown and with lovely complex flavors from the red curry paste and other seasonings. Sliced green beans are used in Thai fish cakes in Thailand and you can also serve them with sweet chili sauce, cilantro and lime wedges.

Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (450 grams) Salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
  • 2.6 ounces red curry paste
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soy sauce if you don’t like fish sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fine
  • 1/4 cup basil, chopped finely
  • 1/4 cup green onion, sliced thin
  • (Optional) 1 cup thinly sliced green beans

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except herbs in a food processor. Pulse a few times, to mix until it forms a smooth, thick, and sticky paste. It should be firm, elastic, and springy. Transfer the fish paste into a big bowl. Add fresh herbs.
  2. Fold the green beans into the paste using a spatula.
  3. Heat 1/2-inch oil in a small deep pot over medium heat until hot
  4. Work on the fish cakes in batches. Use a cookie scoop to transfer a ball of 2 tablespoons of fish paste onto an oiled spatula. Then use the back of another spatula or a large spoon to flatten the ball into a 1/4-inch (1/2-cm) thick disc. Gently slide the fish cake into the pan. Fry until the bottom side turns golden, about 30 to 40 seconds. Flip and cook the other side until golden. The whole process should take about 1 minute. To test doneness, transfer a fish cake onto a plate and poke it with a toothpick. You should feel the bouncy resistance and the toothpick should come out clean.