Tod Man Khao Pod (Thai Corn Fritters)

These sweet, spicy corn cakes are flavored with curry paste and makrut lime.

By
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabanhu is a food writer, recipe developer, and award-winning author specializing in Thai cooking. She has written three cookbooks: Simple Thai Food, Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill, and Bangkok, which won the 2018 Art of Eating Prize.
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Updated March 14, 2025
Fritters on a blue and white printed plate, on a bamboo mat. Glass of blue water, and red chili sauce on the side

Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

Why It Works

  • Hydrating the batter with puréed corn results in fritters with maximum corn flavor.
  • Folding whole kernels into the batter creates fritters with juicy corn pockets that burst as you bite into them.

If you like the flavor of classic Thai fish cakes, it's very likely that you will like these little corn fritters as well. They're also seasoned with curry paste and makrut lime leaves that have been sliced into superfine strips.

You won't get the bouncy, elastic texture of the classic fish cakes in these corn fritters. But what you get is the crispy edges, the slightly chewy interior, and the contrast of textures between puréed and whole corn kernels. While this is a meatless way the lacto-ovo vegetarians amongst us can enjoy the flavor of Thai fish cakes, it's also a delicious appetizer/snack for those of us who do not abstain from meat.

Fritters cooling on a paper towel lined platter

Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

The use of makrut lime leaves in this recipe may make some of you let out a weary sigh. They're hard to find, I know. I live in big city with a sizable Asian community and many great Asian markets, but I still find it hard to get fresh or frozen makrut lime leaves on a regular basis. So if you cannot find makrut lime leaves, use Thai basil leaves—sweet basil, if that's all you can find—and these fritters will be just as great, though slightly different.

September 2012

Recipe Details

Tod Man Khao Pod (Thai Corn Fritters)

Prep 10 mins
Cook 10 mins
Total 20 mins
Serves 30 fritters
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 4 ears of corn (2 pounds total; 907 g) (see notes) 

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Thai red curry paste

  • 1 large egg

  • 3/4 cup rice flour (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 g)

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt use half as much by volume

  • 3 makrut lime leaves or 1/4 cup Thai basil leaves

  • 1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying

  • Store-bought or homemade Thai sweet chili sauce

Directions

  1. Remove corn kernels from cobs (you should have about 2 1/2 cups kernels). Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch in a wok, small Dutch oven, or large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat oil over medium heat to 300°F (149°C). Line a large platter or rimmed baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. 

    Slicing corn kernels away from corn cobs on a wooden chopping board

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

  2. Reserve half of corn kernels and place other half in a blender or food processor along with red curry paste, egg, rice flour, baking powder, and salt; blend until just smooth and batter is loose, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.

    corn and seasoning blended together in a food processor

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

  3. Stack makrut lime leaves (or basil leaves) and roll them up tightly. Slice the roll crosswise as finely as possible. Fold makrut lime leaf strips into corn batter along with reserved whole corn kernels.

    Mixing reserved corn kernels with blended mixture with spatula in glass bowl

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

  4. Working in batches of about 6 at a time, drop 1 tablespoon size portions of corn batter very gently into oil. It helps to drop the batter closer to the oil’s surface to keep the fritter batter together. Do not over-fill pot. Once the fritters float to the top, continue to fry, flipping occasionally, until fritters are golden brown all over and start to darken around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to the paper towel-lined platter. Return oil temperature to 300°F (150°C) and repeat with remaining batches of fritters.

    2 image collage. Top: Dutch oven full of oil deep frying a fritter. Bottom: using a spider spatula, pulling the fried fritters out of oil

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

  5. Allow last batch of fritters to cool slightly before serving them with Thai sweet chili sauce.

    Fritters cooling on a paper towel lined platter

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

Special Equipment

Dutch oven or wok

Notes

Frozen corn kernels can also be used in this recipe. Make sure to thaw them completely and squeeze as much moisture out of them as possible.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
71Calories
3gFat
11gCarbs
1gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 30
Amount per serving
Calories71
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g4%
Saturated Fat 0g1%
Cholesterol 6mg2%
Sodium 173mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 11g4%
Dietary Fiber 0g2%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 1mg7%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 0mg1%
Potassium 40mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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