Fried Corn Cakes

To make the yellow curry paste: Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a hot skillet for about 1 minute. Grind the toasted seeds in a spice grinder. In a food processor, combine the ground seeds with the remaining curry paste ingredients (chopped shallots, chopped garlic, yellow curry powder, chopped lemon grass, ground cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, ground cinnamon, and dried chilies) and puree until smooth.

In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet corn kernels, egg, prepared yellow curry paste, rice flour (up to 3 tablespoons total), light soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix thoroughly. Shape the mixture by hand into circular cakes, approximately 1 inch in diameter.

Dip each corn cake in wheat flour to lightly coat. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet until very hot. Fry the cakes immediately, in batches of 6 to 8 at a time, to ensure proper cooking and prevent overcrowding the skillet.

To make the sauce: Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and crushed chili in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.

Once the sauce has cooled, pound the peanuts (using a mortar and pestle or food processor) and stir them into the sauce. Finally, add the thinly sliced cucumber.

Serve the fried corn cakes warm, with a scoop of the prepared sauce on each.