• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hot Thai Kitchen
  • Recipes by Categories
  • Kitchen Tips & Ingredients
  • Thailand Vlogs
  • My Cookbooks
  • Newsletter
  • Patreon
  • Shop Ingredients & Tools
  • Find an Asian Grocer
  • Merch
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes by Categories
  • Kitchen Tips & Ingredients
  • Thailand Vlogs
  • My Cookbooks
  • Newsletter
  • Patreon
  • Shop Ingredients & Tools
  • Find an Asian Grocer
  • Merch
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » All Recipes » Appetizers

    Shrimp Cake ทอดมันกุ้ง (tod mun goong)

    Published: Dec 6, 2013 · Modified: Jan 17, 2021 by Pailin Chongchitnant · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Bring a Thai flare to your dinner party with these spicy shrimp cakes! This is my own hybrid recipe between our traditional Thai fish cake (tod mun pla) and Thai shrimp cakes (tod mun goong), taking the best of both worlds.

    These shrimp cakes are flavoured with red curry paste, but in Thailand the flavours of shrimp cakes are more plain (delicious, but plain) and they are served with plum sauce. They're kid-friendly, crunchy, and beautiful.

    Thai fish cakes, on the other hand, are flavoured with red curry paste, but because they are deep fried without breading or batter, they don't end up looking particularly pretty.

    So for this recipe I combined the flavour of Thai fish cakes with the beautiful crunchy presentation of shrimp cakes, and I am very pleased with how it turned out!

    Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

    All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

    Ingredients

    Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

    The Shrimp Cakes

    • Shrimp. I prefer using fresh shrimp for this recipe because commercially frozen shrimp have an ice glaze around them, and when they thaw, the melted ice makes the shrimp extra wet. If not dried well, the extra water will cause your mixture to be too runny to form into balls. So if you have to use frozen shrimp, dry them off super-duper well after thawing.
    • Egg
    • Red curry paste
    • Coconut milk
    • Kaffir lime leaves, centre rib removed and very thinly julienned
    • Long beans, chopped into ¼" pieces, you can also do a combination of long beans and corn
    • Fish sauce. The amount of fish sauce you need will depend on how salty your curry paste is. For your first time, I recommend mixing everything without the fish sauce, and then cook a small amount of the mixture on a frying pan or in the microwave to taste, so you know where you're starting from.
    • Sugar
    • Panko breadcrumbs
    • Oil for frying (I use canola oil)
    • Fresh cucumber slices for serving

    Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

    You can certainly buy Thai sweet chili sauce from many grocery stores, but the homemade version is much better and is quite easy. You can also jazz up store bought ones with the cilantro and the peanuts.

    • White vinegar
    • Sugar
    • Mild red chilies, chopped into small pieces. A red bell pepper will also work for this.
    • Garlic
    • Thai chilies, add as much as you like to customize the heat level of your sauce (or add none at all)
    • Roasted, crushed peanuts, optional
    • Cilantro for garnish, optional

    How to Make Shrimp Cakes

    Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

    To Make the Shrimp Cakes

    1. Add the coconut milk to a sauté pan and bring to a boil. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, to reduce the liquid until it becomes a thick paste. Let it cool completely in the freezer while you prep other ingredients.
    2. In a mixing bowl, add the cooled curry paste, chopped long beans, corn (if using), kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and fish sauce.
    3. Grind the shrimp and the egg in a food processor until very fine. Add the shrimp mixture to the mixing bowl and stir everything together until well mixed. Put this mixture in the fridge, covered in plastic wrap, while you make the dipping sauce.

    For the Dipping Sauce

    1. Pound together the chilies and the garlic into a paste and transfer the mixture into a small pot.
    2. Add the sugar and vinegar to the pot and let simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken. The mixture will also thicken as it cools.
    3. While the dipping sauce is cooling, shape and fry the shrimp cakes.

    To Shape the Shrimp Cakes

    1. Divide the shrimp cake into about 1 tablespoon portions using a small disher or a tablespoon measure. Once done, put the panko into a wide, shallow bowl.
    2. Wet your hands with some water, roll each shrimp cake portion into a ball, and drop the ball into the panko. If you want to make larger pieces, shape them into patties rather than balls so they cook faster.
    3. Continue rolling until there's no more room in the panko bowl. Spoon the panko over the shrimp cake to cover, and with dry, clean hands, grab each shrimp cake and gently press the panko onto the surface and set them on another plate.

    To Fry the Shrimp Cakes

    1. Add frying oil to a pot until it's at least 1" deep. Heat the oil to 350 F. Drop the shrimp cake and fry for a few minutes, they will puff up and may crack slightly, which is expected.
    2. Once they are a nice golden brown colour, after a few minutes, put them on a paper towel-lined plate. They will continue to cook after they've been removed from the oil, and the colour will continue to darken from golden to brown.
    3. You can cut one open to check for doneness, but don't cut it right out of the oil - let it sit for a minute first so the residual heat can finish cooking them.

    To Serve

    1. Right before serving, add the crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro to the dipping sauce and serve along side the shrimp cake.
    2. Serve these with some fresh cucumber slices to add a touch of crunch and freshness!

    Do Ahead Tip

    You can make the mixture, shape, and bread the shrimp cake the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. You can also make the dipping sauce several days ahead of time, keeping them in the fridge.

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Shrimp cakes

    Shrimp Cake ทอดมันกุ้ง (tod mun goong)

    ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆ No reviews
    • Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
    • Yield: Makes 20-24 pieces 
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Ingredients

    The Shrimp Cakes

    • 300 grams peeled & deveined shrimp *
    • 1 egg
    • 3 Tbsp red curry paste
    • ¼ cup coconut milk
    • 3 kaffir lime leaves, centre rib removed and very thinly julienned
    • ½ cup long beans, chopped into ¼" pieces. You can also do a combination of long beans and corn.
    • Approximately 1 tsp fish sauce **
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1-2 cups panko breadcrumbs
    • oil for frying (I use canola oil)
    • Fresh cucumber slices for serving

    The Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce

    • ¼ cup white vinegar
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 spur chili, chopped into small pieces, or you can sub ¼ of a red bell pepper or other mild red chilies.
    • 1 clove garlic
    • Thai chilies, to taste, optional
    • 1-2 tablespoon roasted, crushed peanuts, optional
    • Cilantro for garnish, optional

    Ingredients & Kitchen Tools I Use


    Instructions

    To make the shrimp cakes: Add the coconut milk to a sauté pan and bring to a boil. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, to reduce the liquid until it becomes a thick paste. Let it cool completely in the freezer while you prep other ingredients.

    In a mixing bowl, add the cooled curry paste, chopped long beans, corn (if using), kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and fish sauce.

    Grind the shrimp and the egg in a food processor until very fine. Add the shrimp mixture to the mixing bowl and stir everything together until well mixed. Put this mixture in the fridge, covered in plastic wrap, while you make the dipping sauce.

    For the dipping sauce: Pound together the chilies and the garlic into a paste and transfer the mixture into a small pot. Add the sugar and vinegar to the pot and let simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken. The mixture will also thicken as it cools. While the dipping sauce is cooling, shape and fry the shrimp cakes.

    To shape the shrimp cakes: Divide the shrimp cake into about 1 tablespoon portions using a small disher or a tablespoon measure. Once done, put the panko into a wide, shallow bowl. Wet your hands with some water, roll each shrimp cake portion into a ball, and drop the ball into the panko. If you want to make larger pieces, shape them into patties rather than balls so they cook faster. Continue rolling until there's no more room in the panko bowl. Spoon the panko over the shrimp cake to cover, and with dry, clean hands, grab each shrimp cake and gently press the panko onto the surface and set them on another plate.

    To fry the shrimp cakes: Add frying oil to a pot until it's at least 1" deep. Heat the oil to 350 F. Drop the shrimp cake and fry for a few minutes, they will puff up and may crack slightly, which is expected. Once they are a nice golden brown colour, after a few minutes, put them on a paper towel-lined plate. They will continue to cook after they've been removed from the oil, and the colour will continue to darken from golden to brown. You can cut one open to check for doneness, but don't cut it right out of the oil - let it sit for a minute first so the residual heat can finish cooking them.

    To serve: Right before serving, add the crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro to the dipping sauce and serve along side the shrimp cake. Serve these with some fresh cucumber slices to add a touch of crunch and freshness!

    Do Ahead Tip: You can make the mixture, shape, and bread the shrimp cake the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. You can also make the dipping sauce several days ahead of time, keeping them in the fridge.

    Join us on Patreon for bonus content & rewards!


    Notes

    * I prefer to use fresh shrimp for this recipe because commercially frozen shrimp have an ice glaze around them, and when they thaw, the melted ice will make the shrimp extra wet. If not dried well this will cause your mixture to be too runny to form. If you have to use frozen, be sure to dry them extra super-duper well!

    ** The amount of fish sauce you need will depend on how salty your curry paste is. For your first time making this recipe, I recommend mixing everything without the fish sauce, and then cook a small amount of the mixture on a frying pan or in the microwave to taste, so you know where you're starting from.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @HOTTHAIKITCHEN on Instagram and hashtag it #HotThaiKitchen!

    More Thai & Asian Appetizer Recipes

    • a bowl of glass noodle salad made with mung bean jelly noodles with cucumber and carrots.
      Homemade Glass Noodles with Sesame Soy Dressing
    • A plate of chicken satay with a bowl peanut sauce and a bowl cucumber pickle.
      Easy Chicken Satay with "Real" Peanut Sauce
    • Thai Fried Chicken Recipe - Hat Yai Style
    • A plate of beef satay with a side of peanut sauce, pickles, and toast
      Beef Satay and Peanut Sauce

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆
      Recipe Rating




    1. Deepak

      March 06, 2023 at 10:01 am

      Hi Pailin,

      Can I fry the shrimp cakes in an airfryer?

      Reply
    2. Ariadne

      February 11, 2023 at 2:53 am

      Hi pailin, I would like to ask if the shrimp balls can be frozen for future use?

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Connect With Me!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    Image of Pailin

    Sawaddee ka! I'm Pai, a chef, author, and YouTuber. I'm here to demystify Thai cuisine and help you cook great Thai food at home. Want to learn more about me? Here's my story.

    My Latest Cookbook

    Popular Classics

    • Two glasses of Thai tea, one with half and half being poured into it.
      Thai Iced Tea Recipe - Thai vs American Style
    • A plate of chicken satay with a bowl peanut sauce and a bowl cucumber pickle.
      Easy Chicken Satay with "Real" Peanut Sauce
    • a bowl of Thai crab curry stir fry
      Thai Curry Crab: The Hidden Gem of Thai Cuisine 
    • tomato beef stir fry on an oval plate on green napkin.
      Mother-in-Law's Chinese Tomato Beef Stir Fry

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Merch
    • All Recipes

    Newsletter

    Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • My Cookbook
    • Patreon

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © Pailin's Kitchen Inc. 2023