Thai cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Tod Mun Pla

Deep-fried fish cakes of puréed fillet with red curry paste and lime leaf, served with a sweet-and-sour cucumber-peanut dip.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 500 g firm white fish fillet
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 100 g flat green beans
• 1 cucumber
• 50 g peanuts
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 red chili pepper
• 500 ml frying oil

Instructions

1. Roughly dice the fish fillet and purée in a blender with the red curry paste, egg, fish sauce and 1 tsp sugar into a smooth, sticky mass.
2. Beat the mixture firmly against the side of the bowl with a spoon for 2 min. – this is what makes the cakes springy rather than crumbly later on.
3. Cut the green beans into paper-thin slices and the kaffir lime leaves into fine strips, fold both in and chill the mixture for 20 min.
4. For the dip, simmer the rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and 3 tbsp water for 3 min. until syrupy, let cool and mix with finely diced cucumber, chili rings and roughly chopped peanuts.
5. Heat the frying oil to 170°C, shape flat patties of about 6 cm diameter with wet hands and deep-fry in batches for 3–4 min. until golden brown.
6. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with the cucumber-peanut dip.