Best Street Thai Food: Thai Fish Cake and Shrimp Salad

I had been to Thailand twice, once to Hat Yat and also Phuket. My family trip to Phuket was rather recent. Reminiscing all the good times there, I won't mind going there again! Look at all the good food and the fashionably-cool clothings at such a reasonable price! During my Phuket trip, I had two nights stay at the city and the last night at Patong beach. Within walking distance from the hotel I stayed in the city, there's a night market with so many tops and shoes for just 100 baht (RM10), you can't even get them here from any night market at such a good quality. My mum's attention was drawn by a lady selling Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla) which are all sold once fried at the spot. It's just 20 baht (RM2) for 10 pieces! If I'm not mistaken, we have bought a total of three packets. Whereas, at Patong beach, we manage to try out lots of street thai food sold by mobile hawkers at the alleys, away from the bustling roads. We had so much of good food there, from Pad Thai (stir fry flat noodles), Mango Salad, Tom Yum Goong (hot and sour soup) and even Pizzas from a pizzeria right below our hotel. I have been begging my mum to plan a visit to Bangkok this year but it seems that we are too busy this year :(

Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla) (reference: Noob Cook)

Serves: 8 fish cakes (serves 2-3)

Ingredients

• 150 grams white-flesh fish meat (this has to be fresh as mine which is unfreshed tastes quite fishy when the fishcakes are cooled)
• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (I can't manage to get it from the supermarkets so I have made it on my own, refer the recipe below)
• 1/2 egg beaten
• 1 tbsp corn flour/corn starch
• 4 kaffir lime leaves finely snipped (add more of it if you desire)
• 5 French beans ends trimmed and thinly sliced
• vegetable oil for deep frying; enough to submerge the fish cakes
• 2 tbsp Thai sweet chilli
• 1 tsp Thai fish sauce
• 1 tbsp roasted peanuts pounded
• 1 tbsp finely chopped cucumbers

Instructions

1. In a blender, pulse together fish, curry paste, egg, corn flour and lime leaves until a smooth paste is formed. Add chopped French beans to fish paste and mix in evenly. Divide and shape fish paste to 8 round fish cakes.
2. Heat oil in wok, deep fryer or pot to 180°C (356°F). Deep fry fish cakes in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain excess oil on tempura paper before serving.
3. Prepare dipping sauce by mixing fish sauce and Thai sweet chilli. Transfer to a dipping saucer and top with peanuts and cucumbers.

Basic Red Thai Curry Paste (reference: Thaifoodmaster)

Basic Red Thai Curry Paste Recipe

Ingredients

• 10 long dried chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon galangal, finely chopped
• 3 stalks medium size lemon grass (about 5 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kaffir lime zest, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander root (about 3 stalks), finely chopped
• 8 medium garlic cloves (about 4 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon gabpi (fermented shrimp paste)

- See more at: http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf

Ingredients:

• 10 long dried chilies (I reduced to 7)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp galangal, finely chopped (Galangal is a slightly reddish coloured ginger; known as laam goeng in cantonese)
• 3 stalks medium-sized lemongrass (about 5 tbsp), finely chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander roots (about 3 stalks) finely chopped
• 1 tbsp kaffir lime zest, finely chopped
• 8 medium-sized garlic (about 4 tbsp), finely chopped
• 2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp Gabpi (fermented shrimp paste) (I replaced with Belacan)

 Methods:
1. Soak the dried chilies in warm water.
2. Pound the chilies with salt as an abrasive in a pestle and mortar.
3. Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely.
3. Add the rest ingredients and pound till smooth.
4. Keep working till you cannot identify the distingush smell of each ingredients. The paste shall wear a new smell.
5. Finally, add the shrimp paste and pound well!

The red curry paste can be used to serve a fried codfish dish, you may refer to Thaifoodmaster web for more Thai food ideas.

Thai Shrimp Salad (reference: Thaifoodmaster)
*This was originally a fried eggs and shrimp salad but I left the eggs out.
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (about 75g) minced pork
• 6-8 small to medium shrimps, peeled and deveined
• 1 small Cauliflower fungus,optional (known as bai mu er in Mandarin)
• 1 medium sized tomato, cut into tiny wedges
• 2 stalks spring onion, cut into 4cm slices
• 2 tbsp neutral taste cooking oil

Dressings:

• 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 2-6 bird eyes chilies (I omitted this)

Keep working it until you cannot identify the separate components by smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all the ingredients, and is something new. - See more at: http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf

1.  Soak the cauliflower fungus in water to rehydrate, if using.
2. Prepare fried eggs in your favourite way
3. Bring water to boil in a small saucepan. Cook the shrimps until they are about done, cook the miced pork until thoroughly cooked. Strain the water.
4. In a mortar and pestle, pound the chilies.
5. Mix the dressing ingredients. Adjust the flavour, add more lime juice or fish sauce to adjust.
6. In a large bowl, toss the dressing with the rest of the ingredients.
7. Serve the shrimp salad with the fried eggs.

Basic Red Thai Curry Paste Recipe

Ingredients

• 10 long dried chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon galangal, finely chopped
• 3 stalks medium size lemon grass (about 5 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kaffir lime zest, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander root (about 3 stalks), finely chopped
• 8 medium garlic cloves (about 4 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon gabpi (fermented shrimp paste)

Method

1. Soak the chilies in water until soft.
2. In a mortar and pestle start pounding the chilies with salt as an abrasive.
3. Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely
4. Add rest on the ingredients and pound it until smooth.
5. Keep working it until you cannot identify the separate components by smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all the ingredients, and is something new.
6. Add the gabpi and mix well.
7. The paste stores well in air tight container for couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

- See more at: http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf

Ingredients

• 10 long dried chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon galangal, finely chopped
• 3 stalks medium size lemon grass (about 5 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kaffir lime zest, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander root (about 3 stalks), finely chopped
• 8 medium garlic cloves (about 4 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon gabpi (fermented shrimp paste)

Method

1. Soak the chilies in water until soft.
2. In a mortar and pestle start pounding the chilies with salt as an abrasive.
3. Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely
4. Add rest on the ingredients and pound it until smooth.
5. Keep working it until you cannot identify the separate components by smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all the ingredients, and is something new.
6. Add the gabpi and mix well.
7. The paste stores well in air tight container for couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

- See more at: http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf

Ingredients

• 10 long dried chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon galangal, finely chopped
• 3 stalks medium size lemon grass (about 5 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kaffir lime zest, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander root (about 3 stalks), finely chopped
• 8 medium garlic cloves (about 4 tablespoon) , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon gabpi (fermented shrimp paste)

Method

1. Soak the chilies in water until soft.
2. In a mortar and pestle start pounding the chilies with salt as an abrasive.
3. Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely
4. Add rest on the ingredients and pound it until smooth.
5. Keep working it until you cannot identify the separate components by smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all the ingredients, and is something new.
6. Add the gabpi and mix well.
7. The paste stores well in air tight container for couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

- See more at: http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf