Thai Fish Cakes Tod Mun Pla

Name: Thai Fish Cakes Tod Mun Pla
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 lb White fish fillets (cod, pollock or tilapia), boneless and skinless; 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste; 1 large Large egg; 2 tbsp Tapioca starch; 1 tbsp Fish sauce; 6 leaves Kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced; 0.25 cup Long beans (or green beans), very finely chopped; 0.5 cup Vegetable oil for shallow frying; 1 batch Dipping relish (batch): 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp palm sugar, 1/2 small cucumber thinly sliced, 1–2 Thai red chilies sliced and a few cilantro leaves — combine to taste; 1 tsp Palm sugar (or light brown sugar)

Tod Mun Pla are crispy, fragrant Thai fish cakes made with spiced white fish and kaffir lime, commonly sold as a street snack. This home-friendly recipe includes a bright sweet-vinegar dipping relish to recreate the classic contrast of savory, herbaceous cakes and tangy sauce.

0.0(0 reviews)

Prep: 25m · Cook: 15m · Total40 mins

DifficultyMedium

Serves4

AuthorJake

Jake's note

"These fish cakes are great for casual gatherings or as an appetizer — they fry quickly and are endlessly shareable. Home cooks will enjoy how the simple food-processor paste yields professional street-food texture and flavor."

Thai Fish Cakes Tod Mun Pla

Tod Mun Pla — Thai fish cakes — are one of those street snacks that walk the line between comfort food and culinary craft: crispy-edged, tender-bodied patties scented with kaffir lime and punched through with red curry paste. The trick is a paste that’s sticky enough to bind but still flecked with texture, so each bite gives you a little chew from tapioca starch, a bright citrus perfume from finely sliced kaffir leaves, and a vegetal snap from long beans. The little sweet-vinegar relish that accompanies them is more than an afterthought; its acidity and crunch are essential for cutting the cakes’ richness.

This recipe is built for the home cook who wants authentic flavor without a street-vendor setup: common white fish (cod, pollock, tilapia) processed into a tacky paste, a small amount of tapioca for spring and a quick shallow-fry for crispness. I’ve kept the steps compact—pulse, fold, rest, fry—so you can make a batch for sharing on a weeknight or scale up for a party. Notes on resting, testing one cake, and reheating preserve texture so the result is as close as possible to the versions sold from sizzling woks across Thailand.

Plan your timing

Enter your target meal time:

6:13 pm–6:20 pm→Make the fish paste

6:20 pm–6:27 pm→Fold in herbs and beans

6:27 pm–6:34 pm→Shape and fry the cakes

6:34 pm–6:41 pm→Prepare the dipping relish

6:41 pm–6:48 pm→Serve hot with relish

6:48 pm–6:55 pm→Make-ahead, storage and reheating

Ingredients

Yield

Instructions

Make the fish paste

Cut the fish into chunks and pulse in a food processor with the red curry paste, egg, tapioca starch, fish sauce and palm sugar until a sticky, smooth paste forms. Scrape down the bowl as needed; the paste should be tacky and hold together when pressed between your fingers.

For this step

1 lbWhite fish fillets (cod, pollock or tilapia), boneless and skinless
2 tbspThai red curry paste
1 largeLarge egg
2 tbspTapioca starch
1 tbspFish sauce
1 tspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar)

Fold in herbs and beans

Transfer the paste to a bowl and fold in the finely chopped long beans and thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves until evenly distributed. Rest the mixture 5–10 minutes to let flavors meld and the starch hydrate.

For this step

6 leavesKaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
0.25 cupLong beans (or green beans), very finely chopped

Shape and fry the cakes

Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Wet your hands and form heaping tablespoonfuls of paste into flattened patties, then fry in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, turning once; drain on paper towels.

For this step

0.5 cupVegetable oil for shallow frying

Prepare the dipping relish

While the cakes fry, whisk together the rice vinegar, water and palm sugar from the relish batch until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the thin cucumber slices, sliced chilies and cilantro leaves. Taste and adjust balance — it should be bright, sweet and slightly spicy to cut the richness of the cakes.

For this step

1 batchDipping relish (batch): 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp palm sugar, 1/2 small cucumber thinly sliced, 1–2 Thai red chilies sliced and a few cilantro leaves — combine to taste

Serve hot with relish

Arrange the fish cakes on a platter and serve immediately with the dipping relish alongside and lime wedges if you like. They are best hot and crisp — the contrast with the chilled, tangy relish is what makes Tod Mun Pla sing.

Make-ahead, storage and reheating

You can form patties and refrigerate up to 24 hours before frying, or freeze raw patties on a tray then bag for up to 1 month. Reheat in a 375°F (190°C) oven or air fryer for 6–8 minutes to restore crispness rather than microwaving.

Tips from the kitchen

Aim for tacky paste

Pulse until the mixture is sticky and holds when pressed; underprocessed fish will fall apart, overprocessed fish becomes gluey—stop as soon as it pulls together.

Rest to hydrate

Let the shaped paste sit 5–10 minutes so the tapioca absorbs moisture; this improves binding and helps the cakes hold their shape during frying.

Test one cake

Fry a single petite patty first to check seasoning, texture and doneness—adjust salt or palm sugar and cooking time before frying the entire batch.

Use wet hands

Dampen your palms rather than oiling them to shape the patties; it prevents sticking without adding extra grease that can splatter during frying.

Control oil heat

Keep oil at medium-high so cakes brown quickly without burning; if the exterior darkens too fast, lower the heat a touch and finish cooking gently.

Variations & substitutions

Salmon Tod Mun

Use skinless salmon fillets for a richer, slightly oily cake—reduce or omit palm sugar and add a teaspoon of lime zest to balance the fattiness.

Vegetarian 'Fish' Cakes

Substitute firm tofu (well drained and mashed) plus shelled edamame or grated king oyster mushroom for texture, add an extra tablespoon of tapioca for binding, and use soy or tamari instead of fish sauce.

Baked or Air-Fried

For lighter cakes, brush patties with a little oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10–12 minutes, flipping once, or air-fry at 375°F (190°C) for 7–9 minutes until golden and crisp.

No kaffir? Use zest

If kaffir lime leaves aren’t available, finely grate 1 teaspoon of lime zest and fold in a tablespoon of chopped cilantro to recreate the herbaceous citrus lift.

Storage & make-ahead

Cooked fish cakes keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat in a 375°F (190°C) oven or air fryer for 6–8 minutes to restore crispness. Raw formed patties can be refrigerated up to 24 hours or frozen on a tray, then transferred to a bag for up to 1 month; cook from frozen, adding a minute or two to the frying time.

What to serve with it

Serve hot and arranged on a platter with the chilled cucumber-chili relish in a small bowl for dipping, plus lime wedges and extra cilantro for garnish. These make a great starter or snack alongside jasmine rice and a spicy papaya salad, and pair well with a cold lager, a floral Riesling, or an iced Thai tea to compliment the sweet-spicy-sour balance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen fish?

Yes—thaw completely, pat very dry, and remove any excess water before pulsing; excess moisture will prevent the paste from binding and make the cakes greasy.

Why tapioca starch instead of flour?

Tapioca gives the cakes a springy interior and a light, crisp exterior; cornstarch will work in a pinch but produces a drier, less bouncy texture.

My cakes fall apart in the pan—what went wrong?

They likely weren’t tacky enough or the oil was too hot so the outside set before the inside bound; make sure the paste holds when pressed, rest it to hydrate, and fry at medium-high, turning only once.

Can I make the paste by hand without a food processor?

Yes—finely mince the fish or pound it with a cleaver on a cutting board until it becomes paste-like, then mix with the other ingredients; it takes more time but yields good texture.

How spicy will the relish be?

The recipe’s relish controls heat with 1–2 Thai chilies—start with one, taste, and add more if you want extra heat; the relish should be bright and cutting, not overwhelmingly spicy.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

See all recipes by Jake →

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Ingredients

4 servings

Step 1: Make the fish paste

White fish fillets (cod, pollock or tilapia), boneless and skinless1 lb
Thai red curry paste2 tbsp
Large egg1 large
Tapioca starch2 tbsp
Fish sauce1 tbsp
Palm sugar (or light brown sugar)1 tsp

Step 2: Fold in herbs and beans

Kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced6 leaves
Long beans (or green beans), very finely chopped0.25 cup

Step 3: Shape and fry the cakes

Vegetable oil for shallow frying0.5 cup

Step 4: Prepare the dipping relish

Dipping relish (batch): 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp palm sugar, 1/2 small cucumber thinly sliced, 1–2 Thai red chilies sliced and a few cilantro leaves — combine to taste1 batch

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 4 fish cakes (180g)

Calories220

Total Fat11g

Saturated Fat2g

Trans Fat0g

Polyunsaturated Fat3g

Monounsaturated Fat6g

Total Carbohydrates8g

Dietary Fiber1g

Total Sugars3g

Protein25g

Nutrition values are estimated from USDA ingredient data and may vary based on preparation, brands, and portion sizes. Values are provided for informational purposes only.

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