heather_in_sf
Well-known member
Need some soup and like the tanginess of the Tom Yum.
Stupid chest cold, it shouldn't be allowed...
Stupid chest cold, it shouldn't be allowed...
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Anyone have a T&T Tom Yum soup recipe? I have the plague or something...
- Thread starter heather_in_sf
- Start date
This is the one I use. Or one of the 2. From a Thai book created by H.Ec. teachers.
This soup is such a staple in Thailand. And as delicious as all of their foods.
The other is the version with chicken. Tom Ka Gai
Fresh Mushroom Tom Yam
INGREDIENTS:
1 kg fresh mushrooms
2 lemon grass stalks
5 kaffir lime leaves
2 coriander plants, roots removed
10 hot chillies
1-2 dried chillies
3-4 lemons
½ kg grated coconut
2-3 tbsp. fish sauce
10 hot chilies
Wash mushrooms; if large, cut in half or in thirds.
· Wash lemon grass, slice, and crush. Tear kaffir lime leaves.
· Wash coriander and chop up coarsely.
· Just break hot chillies in a mortar. Roast dried chillies, then break into pieces.
Mix 2 cups water with coconut, then squeeze out 3 cups coconut milk, and heat. When boiling, add lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and mushrooms, and and season with fish sauce. When the mushrooms are done, remove from heat, and add lemon juice, hot chillies, and dried chillies. Dip into serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped coriander.
Do I need to mention that I omit most of the chilies?
This soup is such a staple in Thailand. And as delicious as all of their foods.
The other is the version with chicken. Tom Ka Gai
Fresh Mushroom Tom Yam
INGREDIENTS:
1 kg fresh mushrooms
2 lemon grass stalks
5 kaffir lime leaves
2 coriander plants, roots removed
10 hot chillies
1-2 dried chillies
3-4 lemons
½ kg grated coconut
2-3 tbsp. fish sauce
10 hot chilies
Wash mushrooms; if large, cut in half or in thirds.
· Wash lemon grass, slice, and crush. Tear kaffir lime leaves.
· Wash coriander and chop up coarsely.
· Just break hot chillies in a mortar. Roast dried chillies, then break into pieces.
Mix 2 cups water with coconut, then squeeze out 3 cups coconut milk, and heat. When boiling, add lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and mushrooms, and and season with fish sauce. When the mushrooms are done, remove from heat, and add lemon juice, hot chillies, and dried chillies. Dip into serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped coriander.
Do I need to mention that I omit most of the chilies?
music-city-missy
Well-known member
Heather - if you make this before I do, let me know how it turns out. I was wanting some too.
music-city-missy
Well-known member
Hey - found two in my recipes and one of these has to be the one I made and liked
Tom Yam Gai Soup
Good quality Chinese chicken stock - 2 cups (500 ml) (not the crap you get from stock cubes)
Fresh or frozen lemongrass (dried lemongrass sucks) - 1 fat stalk (or 2 thin ones)
Galangal - 1 tablespoon (fresh is preferable, dried will do in a pinch - soak dried in warm water prior to use)
Kaffir Lime Leaves - 2-3 (cut into slivers
(If you don't have any of the above, Amazon ships a package of all the fresh ingredients you need for the soup.)
Nam Prik Pao (Thai roasted chilli paste) - 1-2 tsp (depends on how hot your brand of paste is)
Thai bird's eye chillies (or Serrano chillies) - 4-5 (big slices so you can avoid them easily)
Fish sauce - 2 tbsp
Lime juice - 1 medium lime
Onion - 1/4 of a medium onion (sliced)
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Coriander (cilantro for you Americans) leaves - 4 tbsp
Boneless chicken breast - 50 gm (chopped)
Straw mushrooms (or regular button mushrooms) - 4 (sliced)
Spring/Green onions - 3 tbsp (sliced thin)
HOW TO MAKE IT
1) For the lemongrass, use only the bottom white part (about 6 inches) and discard the woody grass part of it. With the flat side of a cleaver or a heavy object, pound and bruise the lemongrass so it releases the flavour. Cut into 2 inch segments.
2) Put lemongrass, galangal, fish sauce and stock into a pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes.
3) Uncover the pot and add the Kaffir lime leaves, chilies, onion, sugar and chicken pieces.
4) Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add Nam Prik Pao and mushrooms. Simmer for yet another 2 minutes. Now add the spring onions and let it simmer for 30 seconds.
5) Turn off the heat, add lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Test for saltiness and sourness. If required, adjust with more fish sauce (salt) and lemon juice (sour).
6) This makes a medium-hot bowl. Some prefer to have it spicier. Find your own comfort level. Remove the lemongrass and galangal before serving if you like. They're not particularly edible. Good for colds, good for a whole lotta things. Your grandma's chicken soup can't hold a candle up to this one. smileys/smile.gif
Yield: Makes 2-3 bowls of soup
Source: Chef Madhu Menon
Web Page: http://shiokfood.com/notes/archives/000019.html
Author Notes
Gosh, I certainly get many emails asking for a Tom Yam soup recipe. Why, I wonder. Could it be because of my tireless advocacy of it as a cure for everything short of a heart attack? Heck, it's certainly strong enough to scare the living daylights out of any viruses. What micro-organism could resist such a relentless assault from the hot n' sour combination of chillies and lime juice with a background of lemongrass and lime leaves?
The funny thing is that though I've tasted Tom Yam soup at many places, I don't think I've had two identical versions of it. Every chef seems to have his or her own balance of flavours that works best, just as I do. It's amusing (and sometimes very annoying) when a customer walks into my restaurant and then argues that my Tom Yam is not "authentic", just because it tastes different from the one bowl of soup he had on a two-day trip to Bangkok. That, however, is not as annoying as someone asking for a "very mild" version of it, even though my menu clearly describes it as "fiery" and even pleads with people not to ask for it "mild".
So, ladies and gentlemen, this is my recipe for Tom Yam soup. Try making it, especially if you've got a cold and your nose is red and runny, or if you've got a sore throat that needs to be cured.
CHEF'S NOTES
1) To turn this into Tom Yam Goong (Prawns), use prawns instead of chicken but add it only in the final 1 minute of cooking. Prawns cook very fast and will continue to cook in the warm stock. Overcooking them will turn them tough and leathery. Instead of chicken stock, use water and add some prawn shells with the lemongrass. This will give you prawn stock. Remove shells (duh!) before adding other ingredients. Frozen prawns (nude) suck. Don't use them.
2) Good chicken stock is very simple to make. Take 1 kg chicken wings, throw in a couple of drumsticks for meat, put it in a tall stock pot, cover with 2 litres cold water, and bring to a simmer. When the scum rises to the top, skim to another bowl with a shallow spoon. This should take 10-20 minutes. When the stock is clear, toss in 4 spring onions (scallions; use only the white part), 5-6 slices ginger, and a teaspoon of black peppercorns. Let this simmer for 2-3 hours (it should only bubble). Two rules for good stock: a) do not stir and b) do not boil (or it will become cloudy instead of clear.)
After the stock has finished simmering, let it stand for 20 minutes and then using a fine mesh sieve, strain it into another bowl. Using a muslin cloth would be a good idea. Your stock is ready. If you leave it in the fridge, the fat will solidify on the top. Just remove this fat and you have de-fatted, unsalted stock ready for use. You can even reduce the liquid and make stock cubes in the freezer.
3) Galangal has no real substitute. Ginger is the closest but it does a poor job.
4) Kaffir Lime leaves have a unique flavour. Lime zest is the closest thing (use 1-2 tsp) but not quite as good. Dried lime leaves lose flavour and you need to use more.
5) Nam Prik Pao can be made at home but I'm too lazy to tell you how. A regular pure chilli paste mixed with some sugar may be substituted with just about adequate results. Or you can just add more fresh chillies to the soup. If you don't use Nam Prik Pao, your soup will not have a fiery red colour.
6) The strength of lemongrass and lime juice may vary in your part of the world, so use your nose and your tongue to judge proper quantities. When in doubt, use more lemongrass but less lime juice. Then adjust gradually. smileys/smile.gif
In temperate climates, you may not get limes. If so, use lemon juice instead, and use more of it than prescribed here.
7) If you live in USA, get Galangal, fresh Kaffir Lime leaves, and Nam Prik Pao (it tastes wonderful with other things too) from http://www.importfood.com
Wow, who knew a soup recipe could be this long, eh?
Tom Yum Goong
This is so good!
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup shrimp
5 mushrooms (can use regular button or straw mushrooms - if using buttons, might want to quarter)
1-2 limes
1 lemon grass
3 kaffir lime leaves
2 Tbs fish sauce
5 sprigs cilantro
3 chili peppers
1 Tbs nam prig pow Optional
Procedure
1 Start boiling the chicken stock in a 2 quart pot. Peel and devein the shrimp and set them aside. Cut lemon grass into pieces, 5-6 inches long. Use the back of your knife to pound the lemon grass, just to bruise it to release the flavor. If you want, you can tie the lemon grass into a knot to make it easier to manage. Drop the lemon grass in water and let boil for 5 minutes.
2 Put the fish sauce and 1 lime's juice into the bottom of the bowls you will serve the soup in. Crush chili pepper and add to the bowl.
3 Remove the stems from the kaffir lime leaves and add the leafy part to the pot. Clean and halve the mushrooms and add them to the pot. Add the shrimp and turn off the heat. Shrimp gets too tough very quickly, and will cook even when it is just sitting in the warm broth. Scoop the shrimp and liquid into the serving bowls immediately. As soon as you add the liquid to the serving bowl, you will see that the broth becomes cloudy because of the lime juice. Add the nam prig pow. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Recipe Tips
Unfortunately, for the true taste, it is difficult to substitute anything for the kaffir lime leaves. The richness of the sour taste comes from the complement of the different citrus flavored ingredients.
If you don't like it hot, cut down on the chili peppers or do not cut them up, but leave them whole for decoration. Be very careful, the peppers can be hot. Take a small sip at a time.
Add more fish sauce and/or lime juice if it tastes bland. It's right if it's good for your sinus
Some Thai places add wide rice noodles and tomatoes - either cherry or quartered regular tomatoes - which I like.
You can also use chicken instead of shrimp. And if you use shrimp, you can peel and devein which is what most restaurants do or you can leave whole with the head on even.
Tom Yam Gai Soup
Good quality Chinese chicken stock - 2 cups (500 ml) (not the crap you get from stock cubes)
Fresh or frozen lemongrass (dried lemongrass sucks) - 1 fat stalk (or 2 thin ones)
Galangal - 1 tablespoon (fresh is preferable, dried will do in a pinch - soak dried in warm water prior to use)
Kaffir Lime Leaves - 2-3 (cut into slivers
(If you don't have any of the above, Amazon ships a package of all the fresh ingredients you need for the soup.)
Nam Prik Pao (Thai roasted chilli paste) - 1-2 tsp (depends on how hot your brand of paste is)
Thai bird's eye chillies (or Serrano chillies) - 4-5 (big slices so you can avoid them easily)
Fish sauce - 2 tbsp
Lime juice - 1 medium lime
Onion - 1/4 of a medium onion (sliced)
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Coriander (cilantro for you Americans) leaves - 4 tbsp
Boneless chicken breast - 50 gm (chopped)
Straw mushrooms (or regular button mushrooms) - 4 (sliced)
Spring/Green onions - 3 tbsp (sliced thin)
HOW TO MAKE IT
1) For the lemongrass, use only the bottom white part (about 6 inches) and discard the woody grass part of it. With the flat side of a cleaver or a heavy object, pound and bruise the lemongrass so it releases the flavour. Cut into 2 inch segments.
2) Put lemongrass, galangal, fish sauce and stock into a pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes.
3) Uncover the pot and add the Kaffir lime leaves, chilies, onion, sugar and chicken pieces.
4) Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add Nam Prik Pao and mushrooms. Simmer for yet another 2 minutes. Now add the spring onions and let it simmer for 30 seconds.
5) Turn off the heat, add lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Test for saltiness and sourness. If required, adjust with more fish sauce (salt) and lemon juice (sour).
6) This makes a medium-hot bowl. Some prefer to have it spicier. Find your own comfort level. Remove the lemongrass and galangal before serving if you like. They're not particularly edible. Good for colds, good for a whole lotta things. Your grandma's chicken soup can't hold a candle up to this one. smileys/smile.gif
Yield: Makes 2-3 bowls of soup
Source: Chef Madhu Menon
Web Page: http://shiokfood.com/notes/archives/000019.html
Author Notes
Gosh, I certainly get many emails asking for a Tom Yam soup recipe. Why, I wonder. Could it be because of my tireless advocacy of it as a cure for everything short of a heart attack? Heck, it's certainly strong enough to scare the living daylights out of any viruses. What micro-organism could resist such a relentless assault from the hot n' sour combination of chillies and lime juice with a background of lemongrass and lime leaves?
The funny thing is that though I've tasted Tom Yam soup at many places, I don't think I've had two identical versions of it. Every chef seems to have his or her own balance of flavours that works best, just as I do. It's amusing (and sometimes very annoying) when a customer walks into my restaurant and then argues that my Tom Yam is not "authentic", just because it tastes different from the one bowl of soup he had on a two-day trip to Bangkok. That, however, is not as annoying as someone asking for a "very mild" version of it, even though my menu clearly describes it as "fiery" and even pleads with people not to ask for it "mild".
So, ladies and gentlemen, this is my recipe for Tom Yam soup. Try making it, especially if you've got a cold and your nose is red and runny, or if you've got a sore throat that needs to be cured.
CHEF'S NOTES
1) To turn this into Tom Yam Goong (Prawns), use prawns instead of chicken but add it only in the final 1 minute of cooking. Prawns cook very fast and will continue to cook in the warm stock. Overcooking them will turn them tough and leathery. Instead of chicken stock, use water and add some prawn shells with the lemongrass. This will give you prawn stock. Remove shells (duh!) before adding other ingredients. Frozen prawns (nude) suck. Don't use them.
2) Good chicken stock is very simple to make. Take 1 kg chicken wings, throw in a couple of drumsticks for meat, put it in a tall stock pot, cover with 2 litres cold water, and bring to a simmer. When the scum rises to the top, skim to another bowl with a shallow spoon. This should take 10-20 minutes. When the stock is clear, toss in 4 spring onions (scallions; use only the white part), 5-6 slices ginger, and a teaspoon of black peppercorns. Let this simmer for 2-3 hours (it should only bubble). Two rules for good stock: a) do not stir and b) do not boil (or it will become cloudy instead of clear.)
After the stock has finished simmering, let it stand for 20 minutes and then using a fine mesh sieve, strain it into another bowl. Using a muslin cloth would be a good idea. Your stock is ready. If you leave it in the fridge, the fat will solidify on the top. Just remove this fat and you have de-fatted, unsalted stock ready for use. You can even reduce the liquid and make stock cubes in the freezer.
3) Galangal has no real substitute. Ginger is the closest but it does a poor job.
4) Kaffir Lime leaves have a unique flavour. Lime zest is the closest thing (use 1-2 tsp) but not quite as good. Dried lime leaves lose flavour and you need to use more.
5) Nam Prik Pao can be made at home but I'm too lazy to tell you how. A regular pure chilli paste mixed with some sugar may be substituted with just about adequate results. Or you can just add more fresh chillies to the soup. If you don't use Nam Prik Pao, your soup will not have a fiery red colour.
6) The strength of lemongrass and lime juice may vary in your part of the world, so use your nose and your tongue to judge proper quantities. When in doubt, use more lemongrass but less lime juice. Then adjust gradually. smileys/smile.gif
In temperate climates, you may not get limes. If so, use lemon juice instead, and use more of it than prescribed here.
7) If you live in USA, get Galangal, fresh Kaffir Lime leaves, and Nam Prik Pao (it tastes wonderful with other things too) from http://www.importfood.com
Wow, who knew a soup recipe could be this long, eh?
Tom Yum Goong
This is so good!
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup shrimp
5 mushrooms (can use regular button or straw mushrooms - if using buttons, might want to quarter)
1-2 limes
1 lemon grass
3 kaffir lime leaves
2 Tbs fish sauce
5 sprigs cilantro
3 chili peppers
1 Tbs nam prig pow Optional
Procedure
1 Start boiling the chicken stock in a 2 quart pot. Peel and devein the shrimp and set them aside. Cut lemon grass into pieces, 5-6 inches long. Use the back of your knife to pound the lemon grass, just to bruise it to release the flavor. If you want, you can tie the lemon grass into a knot to make it easier to manage. Drop the lemon grass in water and let boil for 5 minutes.
2 Put the fish sauce and 1 lime's juice into the bottom of the bowls you will serve the soup in. Crush chili pepper and add to the bowl.
3 Remove the stems from the kaffir lime leaves and add the leafy part to the pot. Clean and halve the mushrooms and add them to the pot. Add the shrimp and turn off the heat. Shrimp gets too tough very quickly, and will cook even when it is just sitting in the warm broth. Scoop the shrimp and liquid into the serving bowls immediately. As soon as you add the liquid to the serving bowl, you will see that the broth becomes cloudy because of the lime juice. Add the nam prig pow. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Recipe Tips
Unfortunately, for the true taste, it is difficult to substitute anything for the kaffir lime leaves. The richness of the sour taste comes from the complement of the different citrus flavored ingredients.
If you don't like it hot, cut down on the chili peppers or do not cut them up, but leave them whole for decoration. Be very careful, the peppers can be hot. Take a small sip at a time.
Add more fish sauce and/or lime juice if it tastes bland. It's right if it's good for your sinus
Some Thai places add wide rice noodles and tomatoes - either cherry or quartered regular tomatoes - which I like.
You can also use chicken instead of shrimp. And if you use shrimp, you can peel and devein which is what most restaurants do or you can leave whole with the head on even.