Tod Man Pla (Thai Fish Cakes)

Pat the white fish fillets dry, remove any bones and mince with a knife or pound in a mortar until you get a smooth paste. Strip the kaffir lime leaves from their central veins and slice very thinly, then cut the snake beans into 2–3 mm rounds.

Transfer the fish paste to a bowl, add the red curry paste, egg, fish sauce and sugar. Mix with a spatula or slap the mixture against the sides of the bowl for 3–4 minutes, until it becomes sticky and springy.

Fold in the sliced kaffir lime leaves and snake beans, cover the bowl and chill the mixture for 30 minutes so the cakes hold their shape better.

Pour some water into a small bowl. Wet your hands in it, pinch off portions of the fish mixture and shape into flat patties about 6–7 cm in diameter and roughly 1 cm thick.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok to 170–180°C. There should be enough oil for the cakes to float freely.

Fry the cakes in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden, springy and cooked through. Don't overcrowd the pan, or the oil temperature will drop.

Transfer the cooked cakes to paper towels to drain off excess oil.

Serve the tod man pla hot with thinly sliced cucumber and sweet chili sauce.