Thai Shrimp Cakes (Tod Mun Kung)
Golden, lightly crisp patties of minced shrimp with a springy, bouncy bite, seasoned with garlic, cilantro root and white pepper. Served hot with a sweet, tangy, chili dipping sauce for the perfect contrast.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Chop the shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry. Finely chop or pulse half into a smooth, sticky paste, and roughly chop the other half into small chunks. This gives the cakes a bouncy texture with real bits of shrimp to bite into, instead of a uniform mush.
- 500 g shrimp
✅ Done when: half the shrimp is a smooth paste and half is in small, visible pieces
Season and knead
In a bowl, mix the shrimp with the egg, cornstarch, fish sauce, sugar, , garlic, and spring onions. Knead the mixture by hand and slap it firmly against the side of the bowl 30–40 times; this develops the shrimp's natural protein and makes the cakes springy rather than crumbly.
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cilantro roots
- 2 spring onions
✅ Done when: the mixture looks slightly glossy and holds together when pressed
Chill the mixture
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Make the dipping sauce
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Shape the patties
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Fry until golden
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Serve warm
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Chop the shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry. Finely chop or pulse half into a smooth, sticky paste, and roughly chop the other half into small chunks. This gives the cakes a bouncy texture with real bits of shrimp to bite into, instead of a uniform mush.
- 500 g shrimp
✅ Done when: half the shrimp is a smooth paste and half is in small, visible pieces
Season and knead
In a bowl, mix the shrimp with the egg, cornstarch, fish sauce, sugar, , garlic, and spring onions. Knead the mixture by hand and slap it firmly against the side of the bowl 30–40 times; this develops the shrimp's natural protein and makes the cakes springy rather than crumbly.
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cilantro roots
- 2 spring onions
✅ Done when: the mixture looks slightly glossy and holds together when pressed
Chill the mixture
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Make the dipping sauce
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Shape the patties
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Fry until golden
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Serve warm
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The Story Behind the Dish
Tod mun kung grew out of Thailand's long tradition of frying seasoned fish and shrimp pastes, a technique shaped by Chinese cooking methods that spread through Thai port towns and markets. While tod mun pla, made with fish and curry paste, is the older, more rustic cousin, the shrimp version became a popular refinement, prized for its delicate color and springy bite.
Today it's a familiar sight at street stalls, seafood restaurants and night markets across Thailand, often served as a starter alongside other fried snacks.
⭐ Why It's Famous
The contrast is what makes it unforgettable: a crisp golden crust giving way to a soft, bouncy, naturally sweet shrimp filling, cooled down by a sharp, sweet-and-sour chili dip.
💡 Fun Fact
In Thai, 'tod' means fried and 'kung' means shrimp — the name is simply a straightforward description of exactly what you're eating.
Thailand, central plains and coastal regions
13.76°N, 100.50°E
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