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Thai

Tod Mun Pla (Thai Fish Cakes)

Classic Thai fish cakes with red curry paste, makrut lime leaves, yardlong beans and a springy fried texture.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 7 September 2026Updated

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Tod Mun Pla (Thai Fish Cakes)

36 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 16 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Medium
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Thirty minutes. Keeping the fish cold through the mixing is what matters most, so work quickly once it is out of the fridge.

Method

  1. Pat the white fish dry and keep it cold before mixing.

  2. Process or finely pound the fish with red curry paste, egg, rice flour, fish sauce and palm sugar until the mixture becomes sticky.

  3. Fold in yardlong beans and makrut lime leaves until evenly distributed.

  4. Shape the mixture into small flat cakes with lightly oiled hands.

  5. Heat the neutral oil in a pan over medium heat and shallow-fry the fish cakes until golden on both sides.

  6. Drain well and rest briefly before serving so the texture settles.

How to tell it's done

The fish cakes should be golden outside, springy inside and aromatic from the curry paste and lime leaves.

Getting it right

Tip

A sticky fish mixture gives Thai fish cakes their springy bite, so mix until it becomes tacky before shaping.

What to serve it with

Serve hot as a snack or appetizer with a simple cucumber-style dipping side.

Common mistakes

The fish cakes are soft and fall apart in the pan.
The mixture needs to be worked until it turns visibly sticky and springy. That protein bind is what holds the cake together — under-mixed paste has nothing to grip.
They come out dense and rubbery.
Keep the fish cold and do not over-process once it is sticky. Warm fish paste worked too long tightens, and the classic bouncy texture becomes hard instead.

Substitutions

  • Use another firm White Fish variety if the first option is unavailable; avoid very oily fish for this texture.
  • Check Red Curry Paste labels for shrimp paste, fish sauce, soy or gluten depending on the brand.
  • Use Green Beans instead of Yardlong Beans if needed, sliced very thinly.
  • Do not skip the Makrut Lime Leaves if available; they give the fish cakes their Thai aroma.

Storing and reheating

Fried cakes keep two days in the fridge and reheat best in a hot oven. Uncooked shaped cakes are the better make-ahead: they keep a day covered in the fridge or freeze for a month, and fry from frozen with an extra minute a side.