Thai-Inspired Fava Bean Crispy Rice Cakes with Jammy Eggs
Daily Recipe: March 28, 2026
This brunch leans Thai in spirit without falling into the usual curry-or-pad-Thai lane: crisp rice fritters packed with sweet spring fava beans, crowned with a jammy soft egg and a bright green herb salad. Fava beans bring buttery freshness that feels perfect for early spring, while red curry paste, lime, fish sauce, mint, cilantro, and crunchy shallots create a savory, zippy, deeply satisfying plate that looks as good as it tastes.
Ingredients (for 4)
- Fava beans - 2 cups shelled (about 4 pounds in pods) - blanched and peeled if large
- Cooked jasmine rice - 3 cups - chilled
- Large eggs - 8 - 4 for mixing and 4 for serving
- Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
- Thai red curry paste - 2 tablespoons
- Scallions - 4 - thinly sliced
- Medium shallots - 3 - 2 thinly sliced for frying and 1 minced
- Garlic cloves - 3 cloves - finely grated
- Ginger - 1 tablespoon - finely grated
- Cilantro leaves and tender stems - 1 packed cup
- Mint leaves - 1 packed cup
- Thai basil - 1/2 packed cup
- Baby greens or pea shoots - 2 cups
- Red chile - 1 - thinly sliced
- Limes - 3 - 2 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
- Fish sauce - 2 tablespoons
- Palm sugar or light brown sugar - 2 teaspoons
- Rice flour - 1/3 cup
- Neutral oil - 1/2 cup plus more as needed - for frying
- Salt - 1 teaspoon plus more to taste
Preparation
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Step 1 - 🫛💧🧊Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the shelled fava beans for 1 to 2 minutes until just tender, then move them to ice water. If the beans are large, peel off the outer skins and pat dry.
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Step 2 - 🍚🥚🥣In a large bowl, combine the chilled jasmine rice, 4 eggs, coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, 1 minced shallot, garlic, ginger, scallions, rice flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and half of the fava beans. Mix gently until evenly combined and the mixture holds together.
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Step 3 - 👐⭕❄️Form the rice mixture into 8 compact patties about 3 inches wide. Place them on a tray and chill for 10 minutes so they firm up.
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Step 4 - 🥚⏲️🧊Heat water in a saucepan until just below a simmer. Carefully add the remaining 4 eggs and cook for 7 minutes. Transfer to ice water, then cool, peel, and cut in half.
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Step 5 - 🍋🥄✨Whisk together the juice of 2 limes, fish sauce, palm sugar or light brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons water until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust if needed.
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Step 6 - 🌿🥗🌶️In a bowl, gently toss the cilantro, mint, Thai basil, baby greens or pea shoots, remaining fava beans, and sliced red chile with a few spoonfuls of the dressing. Keep the salad light and not overdressed.
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Step 7 - 🧅🍳🟤Heat a few tablespoons of neutral oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry the thinly sliced shallots, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and lightly salt.
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Step 8 - 🥘🍚🔥Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add enough neutral oil to coat the bottom generously. Cook the rice cakes in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Add more oil as needed.
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Step 9 - 🍽️🥗🥚Spoon a little dressing onto each plate. Add 2 rice cakes, top with the herb and fava salad, then add 2 egg halves. Finish with crispy shallots and lime wedges from the remaining lime.
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Step 10 - 😋✨🍴Serve right away while the rice cakes are hot and crisp and the herbs are fresh and cool.
Additional
If fresh fava beans are unavailable, thawed edamame makes a great spring-green substitute, though favas are more luxurious and seasonal. For extra brunch drama, add a spoonful of chile crisp on top or serve with quick-pickled radishes for color and acidity. Kids can help peel the cooled eggs, tear herbs, and shape the rice cakes.