Tua Tod ถั่วทอด are fried peanut sheets, where peanuts are wrapped in a batter made of rice flour, sugar, eggs, coconut milk, and fried in oil.
It is a traditional Thai snack rooted in popular cuisine that could be described as a sort of brittle or nougat
The word “Tua” (ถั่ว) means “beans” or “legumes”, but in the case of Tua Tod, it specifically refers to peanuts, while “Tod” (ทอด) means “fried“.
Therefore, Tua Tod literally translates to “fried peanuts”, but it can also refer to a variety of fried legumes, depending on the region.
In some areas of the country, fried peanuts are mixed with other ingredients, such as fresh herbs (mint, basil) or sauces (soy sauce or fish sauce) to provide a more complex flavor.
Peanuts are an important ingredient in Thai cuisine, introduced to Thailand centuries ago, and incorporated into the local cuisine, such as:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Thai
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 7 oz peanuts
- 5 oz coconut milk
- 1 oz sugar
- to taste salt
- to taste vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup lime water (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 5 oz rice flour
- 1 egg
Steps
Prepare the lime water (optional – this step can be omitted):
Mix 1 tablespoon of lime paste* with 2.5 cups of water, mix well and let it sit until lime crystals settle at the bottom.
Pour 2/3 cup of clear liquid into another container and discard the rest.
Prepare the peanuts:
Wash the peanuts in a colander and let them dry.
Prepare the batter:
In a bowl, mix rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, and salt. Beat the egg.
Mix until you get a homogeneous mixture.
If using, gradually add some lime water and mix, then add the rest of the lime water, stirring until completely dissolved.
Add coconut milk and mix well.Heat vegetable oil in a wok over low heat.
Use a mold for Tua Tod, pouring enough batter to cover the mold.If you don’t have a specific mold, you can also use a small round mold or a metal shape to create a base. Pour the mixture into the mold, add the peanuts, and fry as you normally would.
Immerse the mold in hot oil. The batter should detach from the mold as it fries, but you can gently shake it or use chopsticks to help.
Fry over low heat until golden brown.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is lime paste?
Lime paste is an aqueous suspension of calcium oxide (CaO), which is obtained by mixing quicklime with water. When quicklime is added to water, a chemical reaction occurs that produces calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂), a creamy white substance also known as “lime paste”.
In cooking, lime paste is used in some traditional Asian recipes, such as the preparation of certain sweets (e.g., in Thai Tua Tod), where it serves to improve the texture and crunchiness of the final product.
Lime water, which is the liquid part of this paste, is filtered and used to create a special effect in food preparation, bonding ingredients better or giving them a crunchier texture.
It’s important to highlight that lime water used in cooking is safe and edible if prepared correctly, but it is not the same lime used in construction.
