Thai · appetizer
Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla)
Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla) reads umami 7.2, funk & ferment 6.2 and salinity 5.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai appetizer, about 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 8.9 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 4.3 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 5.4 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.6 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 3.9 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 3.3 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Umami 7.2 · Funk & Ferment 6.2 · Salinity 5.6 · Marine & Briny 5.2 · Citrus 4.8 · Sweetness 4.2 · Richness 3.7 · Warm Spice 2.9 · Sourness 2.2 · Floral 2.1 · Earthy 1.5 · Heat 1.4 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Bitterness 1.1 · Nutty 0.7 · Fruity 0.5
What's in it (9)
- 1 lb white fish fillet
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 cup long beans, thinly sliced
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sugar
- oil for frying
- cucumber dipping sauce
Time & effort: about 30 min (20 min active) · effort: easy
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 94.6 kcal, 9.5 g protein, 2.6 g fat, 9.3 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (4 steps)
- Blend fish with red curry paste, egg, fish sauce, and sugar until a sticky paste forms.
- Fold in thinly sliced long beans and shredded kaffir lime leaves.
- Shape into small flat patties and shallow-fry until golden on both sides.
- Serve with sweet cucumber relish.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Tom Kha Teacups — Thai
- Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup) — Vietnamese
- Green Curry (Gaeng Khiao Wan) — Thai
- Thai Shrimp Fried Rice — Thai
- Thai Red Curry with Shrimp — Thai
Keep reading: what umami, funk & ferment, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.