Lately, my spouse and I have been eating our way through Family Thai: Bringing the Flavors of Thailand Home by Arnold Myint and Kat Thompson (2025). It’s an excellent cookbook full of full-color photographs, and the food has been delicious, so I strongly recommend buying it if you like Thai food.

These fritters don’t have any spice to them unless you pair them with sweet chili sauce, as seen in the photo above. They are primarily made from shrimp, white fish, and green beans, flavored with red curry paste, fish sauce, and fresh dill.

These also happen to be gluten free, as they use rice flour instead of wheat flour.

This batch makes about 15 fritters the size of a hockey puck.

8 oz. tilapia or other white fish fillet
1 lb. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tbsp. red curry paste
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. rice flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1-2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. fresh Thai basil
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
4 oz. green beans, ends trimmed and sliced thinly
1/2 tbsp. sunflower or vegetable oil
More oil for frying
Crushed roasted peanuts (optional)
Cilantro, chopped (optional)
Sweet chili sauce

Add the fish, half of the shrimp, red curry paste, fish sauce, salt, sugar, baking powder, and garlic to a food process or and pulse into a paste. Move to a medium-sized bowl.

Chop the rest of the shrimp and add to the bowl with the chopped green beans, basil, dill, and 1/2 tbsp. oil. Stir to combine.

Add enough oil to a pot to fill 1 1/2 inches from the bottom and heat over medium heat. Add a few drops of water to test — if it’s hot enough to fry, the water will sizzle.

Use a 2-inch ice cream scoop to dole out portions of the mixture. Dump each scoop into your (clean) hand and shape them into patties, pressing your thumb in the middle to create a divot. Do this one at a time and carefully slide them into the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Leave a little space in between.

Give them a couple minutes, then flip over with tongs, until both sides are golden brown.

Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Continue these steps until you use up all of the batter.

Serve immediately with peanuts, cilantro, and/or sweet chili sauce.

Any leftovers can be reheated in a toaster oven or air fryer.