Thai Shrimp Cakes (Crispy Tod Mun Goong)
Crispy on the outside, bouncy and fragrant on the inside, these Thai shrimp cakes come together in under 30 minutes with a punchy sweet chili dipping sauce.
Why You Will Make These Thai Shrimp Cakes on Repeat
If you love bold Asian seafood recipes, these Thai shrimp cakes, known as tod mun goong, are about to become a regular in your kitchen. They are crisp and golden on the outside, springy and packed with shrimp flavor on the inside, and seasoned with the kind of fragrant red curry punch that makes Thai seafood recipes so addictive. Think of them as a more vibrant, herbaceous cousin to Filipino shrimp fritters, but built around pure, juicy shrimp instead of batter.
What makes this Thai seafood appetizer special is the texture. Instead of finely pureeing the shrimp into a smooth paste, we pulse it coarsely so every bite has little flecks of shrimp you can actually see and feel. Combined with crisp green beans and floral kaffir lime, it is a small bite with a huge amount going on.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A sharp food processor gives you control over texture instead of turning everything to mush, and a good quality red curry paste is doing most of the flavor heavy lifting in this recipe, so it is worth seeking out a reputable Thai brand.
The Secret to Bouncy, Not Mushy, Shrimp Cakes
The number one mistake people make with minced fish recipes and shrimp cakes alike is over-processing the protein into a smooth puree. That gives you a dense, almost paste-like cake. Instead, pulse the shrimp in short bursts so you end up with a rough, chunky texture, almost like the shrimp has been hand-chopped.
The other trick is vigorous mixing after processing. Stirring the paste hard for about a minute develops the natural proteins in the shrimp, which is what gives these cakes their signature springy, almost bouncy bite once fried. This is the same principle used in many Asian seafood recipes for fish balls and prawn toast.
Chef's Tip: Keep your shrimp very cold, almost icy, right up until the moment you process it. Cold shrimp binds far better than room temperature shrimp, and you will notice a real difference in the final texture.
A Few Notes on Ingredients
This recipe leans on a handful of ingredients doing a lot of work:
- Red curry paste brings lemongrass, chili, and galangal flavor without needing a long ingredient list
- Fish sauce adds the salty, savory backbone typical of Thai seafood recipe ideas
- Kaffir lime leaves give a citrusy, almost perfumed note that is hard to replicate with anything else
- Green beans add crunch and color, and are the classic mix-in for an authentic Thai prawn cake
If you cannot track down kaffir lime leaves, do not skip the dish entirely. A little extra lime zest gets you most of the way there, though the flavor will be slightly less complex.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step by step recipe:
Thai Shrimp Cakes (Crispy Tod Mun Goong)
Crispy on the outside, bouncy and fragrant on the inside, these Thai shrimp cakes come together in under 30 minutes with a punchy sweet chili dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry
- 2 tbsp red curry paste, Thai brand preferred
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup green beans, very thinly sliced
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced, optional but recommended
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying
- 3/8 cup sweet chili sauce, for serving
Instruction
Pat the shrimp completely dry, then pulse in a food processor in short bursts until you get a coarse, slightly chunky paste. You want texture, not a smooth puree.
Transfer the shrimp paste to a large bowl. Add the red curry paste, fish sauce, beaten egg, cornstarch, and sugar. Mix vigorously with a spoon or your hand for about 1 minute, until the mixture turns slightly sticky and tacky.
Fold in the sliced green beans, kaffir lime leaves, and cilantro until evenly distributed.
Wet your hands lightly and shape the mixture into 8 to 10 patties, each about 2 to 3 inches wide and half an inch thick. Place on a parchment-lined tray.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, around 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
Fry the cakes in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil for a minute.
Serve warm with sweet chili sauce and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Large skillet
- Slotted spatula
- Paper towels
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Shrimp Cakes
Serve these hot, straight out of the pan, with a small bowl of sweet chili sauce for dipping. They are perfect as a stand alone Thai seafood appetizer, piled onto a platter for a party, or served alongside jasmine rice and a simple cucumber salad for a light meal.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a few days. Always reheat in a skillet rather than the microwave if you want to keep that crisp exterior intact, a quick few minutes per side over medium heat brings them right back to life.
For make-ahead convenience, you can freeze the raw, shaped patties and fry them straight from frozen whenever a craving hits, just add an extra minute or two of cook time per side. Once you have a batch of these in your freezer, you will find yourself making excuses to fry up a quick Asian seafood treat any night of the week.
