Tod Man Pla Krai

Tod man pla are Thailand's iconic street-food fish cakes, found sizzling at market stalls from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Pla krai (featherback fish) gives the original its springy, almost bouncy texture from the fish's naturally elastic flesh. Served with a sweet-sour cucumber relish, they are as satisfying eaten by the roadside as they are at a dinner table.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Fish cakes:

• 500g (1 lb) firm white fish fillets (featherback, mackerel, or barramundi), skin removed
• 2 tbsp (30ml) red curry paste (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce
• 1 tsp (4g) sugar
• 100g (3.5 oz) snake beans (or green beans), very thinly sliced into rounds
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, centre vein removed, very finely shredded
• Neutral oil for deep-frying

Cucumber relish (ajad):

• 1 small cucumber (150g / 5 oz), quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 2 tbsp (24g) sugar
• 60ml (1/4 cup) white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 fresh red chilli, sliced
• Small handful fresh coriander leaves

Instructions

1. Make the relish: heat sugar, vinegar, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool completely. Combine with cucumber, shallot, and chilli. Chill until ready to serve.
2. For the fish cakes: process the fish in a food processor until it forms a smooth, slightly sticky paste, about 2 minutes.
3. Transfer to a large bowl. Add red curry paste, egg, fish sauce, and sugar. Mix vigorously by hand, slapping the paste against the side of the bowl repeatedly for 3–4 minutes until the mixture is springy and elastic.
4. Fold in the sliced beans and kaffir lime leaves.
5. With wet hands, form the mixture into flat round patties about 7cm (3 inches) in diameter and 1cm (0.5 inch) thick.
6. Heat oil in a wok or deep pan to 180°C (350°F). Fry the fish cakes in batches of 4–5 for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
7. Garnish the relish with coriander and serve alongside the hot fish cakes.

Cook's Notes: The slap-and-fold technique is essential — it develops the proteins that give the cakes their characteristic bouncy texture. Cakes can be formed up to a day ahead and refrigerated before frying.