THAI CORN CAKES

Ingredients

Cooking oil*
1 eight ounce box of cornbread mix
1 can coconut cream (divided use)
2ggs
3 + 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (divided
use)
2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
(divided use)
1 teaspoon grated ginger + 5 slices of fresh ginger
(divided use)
1 ear of fresh corn cut off the cob, or frozen corn
(about 1 cup)
1 1⁄2 cups popcorn
1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups diced watermelon rind with the skin removed and leaving an edge of the red flesh
1 tbsp diced crystallized ginger
1 tsp salt
1tsp chopped mint
1 thinly sliced Serrano chili pepper
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (or to taste)
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp Thai fish sauce**
2 tsp Sriracha (or to taste)
12 peeled and cleaned jumbo shrimp (about 1 12 lbs)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degees. Pour ¼ cup cooking oil* in a 12” Lodge skillet and put it in the oven to heat. 

In a small sauce pan whisk the coconut cream to blend well. In a bowl mix together the box of cornbread mix, ½ cup of the coconut cream and the eggs.

Stir in 3 TBS of the green onions, 2 TBS of the cilantro, the grated ginger, corn and popcorn. 

Pour the mixture into the hot oiled skillet, spreading it evenly, and bake it for 12-15 minutes. 

After about 5 minutes, once the top of the cornbread has just set, brush it with oil. 

Make a pickled watermelon rind relish by simmering for 5 minutes the water, rice wine vinegar, sugar, crystallized ginger, salt and watermelon rind. Remove from heat and just before serving add the remaining cilantro, the mint and the Serrano. 

Whisk into the remaining coconut cream the red curry paste, butter, brown sugar, the sliced ginger, fish sauce, and Sriracha. Simmer over low heat, stirring as needed, to thicken. 

Ladle just enough of the red curry sauce over the shrimp to coat them. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and over high, heat up 2-3 tablespoon oil and quickly saute the shrimp, turning once. 

To serve: 

Flip the cornbread onto a large cutting board and using a biscuit cutter, cut it into circles. Divide equally among the serving dishes the curry sauce and top with 2 corn cakes, then the shrimp. Drainmost of the liquid off the pickled watermelon rind and spoon it on top. Sprinkle with the remaining green onion. 

*Cooking oil. Any basic vegetable oil works well, but I prefer peanut oil for this dish, however if you’re really feeling luxurious, I highly recommend duck fat. 

**Thai Fish Sauce: Although this is found in the Asian section of most stores, if it’s unavailable, you can simmer the shells from the shrimp with the curry sauce, adjust for salt, and strain it.