Thai · Authentic-ish Thai
Deep-fried Prawn Cakes
184 kcal a serving, against 461 for the traditional version. That is 277 kcal off, or 60%, with 27.9g of protein. Serves 4. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Classic tod mun goong starts with equal parts raw prawns and pork back fat, blended to a smooth paste with fish sauce and a tiny bit of sugar. You form thick patties, drape each in flour, dip in egg, coat in panko and deep-fry until crisp and golden. The cakes stay juicy and fluffy, the coating crunches loud enough for the neighbours, and the taste is rich, meaty and full of sweet prawn.
What changed, and what each change costs
Remove pork fat, double the prawns
Pork fat is what gives the cakes their soft, almost airy texture. Chucking it out and using more prawn means you keep the seafood, but you lose the melting bite and some of the richness.
What it costs you. The result is all prawn, less meaty, and a bit chewy inside. It is not a mousse. It is more like a packed fishcake. If you loved the porky background, you'll just have to get used to disappointment. If you like prawn, you'll be happy at least.
Bake on a rack at 220C instead of deep-frying
Deep-frying isn't just about fat - it locks in moisture and gives the crumb that ridiculous crunch. Baking drops the added fat to next to nothing, but you won't get that all-over golden shell.
What it costs you. The crumb still gets toasty on top, but the bottoms never quite crisp up unless you turn them. There's also no way to get the exact same juicy middle. You do, however, avoid oil up the kitchen walls and the risk of setting your smoke alarm off.
Use less panko for coating, add a touch of egg white to the mix for bounce
You need a crust, but not a whole panko overcoat. The egg white helps with structure when the fat's gone.
What it costs you. The cakes can go from tender to rubber ball if you overbake. Coat lightly and keep an eye out. If you want to do a dipping sauce, you'll need something punchy - try a lime-chilli dip.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 461 | 184 |
| Protein | 27.6g | 27.9g |
| Fat | 31.3g | 3g |
| Saturated fat | 6.8g | 0.4g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.7g | 10.8g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6g | 15.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Thai prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. crustaceans, eggs, fish, gluten.
The method is in the book
In the end, the missing pork fat is the first thing you'll notice. No one's claiming this is the real deal - the original's almost fluffy centre is swapped for bounce and chew. Still, if you like prawn, you'll find these go down dangerously quick, and the protein jump is nothing to sniff at. If you miss the crunch and the richness, you know where to find the deep fryer.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Thai, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.