Thung thong
ถุงทอง · golden bags
Crisp Thai pastry pouches tied like small money bags, often served at parties and celebrations as symbols of prosperity. Its name means “golden bag,” linking its shape to prosperity.
About this dish
Crisp Thai pastry pouches tied like small money bags, often served at parties and celebrations as symbols of prosperity. The recipe here chooses one named variation from that wider tradition; household fillings, shapes and serving styles may differ.
Recipe
Thai golden money bags, thung thong
- 20 small wheat spring-roll pastry squares (15 cm)
- 20 garlic-chive stalks
Filling
- 200 g ground pork
- 100 g peeled shrimp, minced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cilantro roots
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 40 g diced carrots
- 40 g corn kernels
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 750 ml neutral oil for frying
- 1
Filling: 200 g ground pork; 100 g peeled shrimp, minced; 2 garlic cloves; plus the remaining ingredients listed for this component. Pound garlic, cilantro roots and pepper, then mix with pork, shrimp, vegetables, soy and sesame oil. Mince vegetables finely, pat shrimp dry and stir until filling binds; keep chilled.
- 2
Blanch chives 20 seconds and dry. Place an equal share of filling in the center of each pastry square, gather the corners into a pouch and tie at the neck with a chive. Keep pastry covered, gather corners loosely above filling and secure the neck without tearing.
- 3
Deep-fry in batches at 170°C/340°F for 5-7 minutes, turning carefully, until crisp and pork reaches 71°C/160°F. Drain. Use a thermometer and a pan no more than half full. Leave room, let oil recover between batches and check a test center before draining.
Note
Use wheat spring-roll pastry, not rice paper. Keep filling portions small enough to cook before the gathered tops darken.