Thai Fish cake (Tod Mun Pla)
Tod Mun Pla is one of the well-known appetizers on most Thai restaurants’ menus. The longevity of this old-fashioned dish’s popularity speaks volumes about its greatness.
Ingredients
- 17.6 Oz Clown Featherback Fish (Pla Grai)
- 3.5 Oz Rad Curry
- 4.4 Oz Long Bean slice thinly
- 1 Oz Thai basil
- 0.3 Oz Kaffir Lime Leaves slice thinly
- 0.8 Oz Egg
- 1 Tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 Tsp Sugar
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Water Cold
Instructions
- In a small bowl add water and dissolve salt, put it aside.
- Add the cold Clown Featherback Fish to the mortar.
- Pound the fish into a paste. ( You can use a food processor), as needed, add the cold water with salt from the first step to ensure the fish remains sticky.
- Transfer the fish paste into a mixing bowl. Add the rad curry, egg, sugar and fish sauce, Mix well
- Add the chopped long beans and Kaffir lime leaves, stir until well combined.
- Wet your hands and a tablespoon in the cold water, then scoop a heaping tablespoon of fish paste with the wet spoon and place in your hands. Gently pat the fish cakes to form into patties and place in a preheated wok
- Heat oil in a wok, large heavy based frying pan or a deep fryer, to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add Thai basil and fry for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Take out and drain. Put to the side.
- Deep fry the fish cakes in batches until golden. They will take between 3-5 minutes but check the first one before serving.
- Serve the fish cakes on a bed of the fried Thai basil. Optionally, add a small bowl of cucumber relish.
