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Easy and the best Thai shrimp cakes made of shrimp, red curry paste, long beans and coconut milk. Learn how to make these amazing appetizers with the step-by-step recipe.
Shrimp Cakes
I love shrimp recipes because shrimp is my favorite seafood.
Shrimp cakes are definitely one of my favorites, especially Thai version of them.
This Thai shrimp cake recipe is from my good friend Robert Danhi’s Easy Thai Cooking cookbook.
If you love Thai recipes and wish to explore beyond Tom Yum Soup, green curry, Tom Yum and Pad Thai and Pad See Ew, please try this Thai shrimp cakes recipe.
I will assure you that this is the best and most delicious recipe ever!
How To Make Shrimp Cakes
It’s very easy to make Thai shrimp cakes. The recipe calls for only a few ingredients:
- Peled and deveined shrimp (size doesn’t really matter in this recipe)
- Thai red curry paste
- Long beans
- Coconut milk
Roughly chopped up the shrimp to form a sticky shrimp paste. You may also use a food processor to process the shrimp into a fine paste.
Next, shape the shrimp into a patty.
The final step is to pan fry the shrimp cakes with cooking oil. Serve them with Thai sweet chili sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you cannot use cooked shrimp for this recipe. In order to form the cakes, you will need raw shrimp.
Yes, they are. There is no carb in the recipe, so they are 100% keto-friendly.
This recipe is only 152 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Thai Shrimp Cake
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Thai Shrimp Cake
Ingredients
- 8 oz (230g) raw shrimp, roughly chopped, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 1/4 cup long bean, or green beans, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons oil
Sweet Chili Sauce:
- 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoon coriander leaves, cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
Instructions
- Prepare the Sweet Cilantro Sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl, then set aside.
- Spread the shrimp on a plate and chill them in the freezer for 15 minutes to ensure a springy texture for the shrimp cakes. Meanwhile, prepare all your other ingredients. In a food processor or blender, combine the chilled shrimp, red curry paste, egg, fish sauce, sugar, and coconut milk. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and mix in the green beans and basil.
- Since different brands of curry pastes have varying salt levels, it's a good idea to make a sample shrimp cake first. Sauté 1 tablespoon of the mixture in a skillet (frying pan). Taste, and if necessary, adjust the seasoning with fish sauce and salt.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Use 1 tablespoon of oil to coat the skillet. Then, using a measuring spoon, drop 1 tablespoon of the shrimp mixture into the skillet. With a damp finger, flatten the mixture slightly to about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. Repeat this process to make about 10 shrimp patties in the skillet.
- Cook the cakes until golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, then make more patties from the remaining mixture and cook them the same way. Serve with a side bowl of sweet chili sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Good morning, Chef Low, Thai Shrimp Cake can you oven it instead of frying it?
The recipe was delicious and I added Thai chilies to the sauce
Thank you for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I’d like to make these for a party. Can they be cooked ahead and frozen? I’d like to be able to reheat in a chafing dish. Thank so much.
Hi Judy, it would taste best made fresh, as it contains a number of fresh vegetable ingredients. However, you can try to make the paste ahead of time but not longer than one day, and then pan fry them just before serving. Do not freeze, as it will cause the shrimp cakes to lose moisture and will taste tough.
It says no carb, but calls for tablespoon of sugar which has 15 carbs
Thank you for pointing that out. The sugar is for balance of flavour. You are welcome to omit it, or use a sugar substitute.
Does this recipe used canned coconut milk or the coconut milk found in a carton in the dairy section of the grocery store?
Canned.
How does Thai basil differ from regular basil? and can you use regular basil?
Thai basil has a strong peppery flavor and is a bit spicier than other basil leaves. You can use regular basil, there just may be a slightly different taste.
Is this spicy? Thinking of making it for the kids.
No they are not spicy at all.
Hi, do you add the green beans uncooked or are they pre cooked a little.
Raw.
I left the green beans out and I used Thai basil from a jar, they were delicious :) I will try with the green beans when I next make them. Thanks for the delicious recipe :)
I have made these several times now and I absolutely love them. It’s just my husband and I now – kids have left home, so I offer them to the neighbors – makes too many for just the two of us, my neighbors jump when I send out the Facebook post offering our excess of these divine little morsels of delight with the incredible sauce. Thank you so much for sharing some of your heritage with us.
Thanks!