Tom Yam Goong

      No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is definitely a signature dish of Thailand.

Cooking Recipe :

A subtle blend of hot and sour with citrus overtones, tom yam goong is the most famous of all Thai soups. Each region has its own particular variation of the recipe.

Recipe:

8 oz (250 g) shrimp/prawns, shelled and deveined, with shellsreserved
3 cups (24 fl oz/750 ml) water
2 garlic cloves (kratiem), minced
5 kaffir lime leaves (bai ma-good)
3 thin slices fresh or dried galangal (kha)
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) fish sauce (nam pla)
2 stalks lemon grass/citronella (ta-krai), lower 1/3 portiononly, cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) lengths
2 shallots, sliced
1/2 cup sliced straw mushrooms
5 green Thai chili peppers (prik khee noo), optional
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) lime juice
1 teaspoon black chili paste (nam prik pow)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro/coriander leaves (bai pak chee)

How to cook:

1.     Rinse the prawn shells and place them in a large pot with the water. Heat to boiling, strain the broth and discard the shells.

2.      Add the garlic, lime leaves, galangal, fish sauce, lemon grass and shallots to the stock, then the mushrooms and chili peppers, if using. Cook gently for 2 minutes.

3.      Add the shrimp to the soup, and reheat to boiling. When the shrimp are cooked, place the lime juice and black chili paste in a serving bowl. Pour the soup into the bowl, stir, garnish with the cilantro leaves, and serve.                                        

Tom Kha Kai

      Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is probably more preffered by non-spicy eaters.

cooking recipe :

A rich, aromatic dinner soup, which is enjoyed throughout the meal. Whenever possible, fresh kaffir lime leave should be used, and their flavor and aroma is increased when they are torm insted of cut with a knife. Young galangal (Kha orn) is pale yellow, with firm unwrinkled pink shoot. Fresh young ginger can be substituted if necessary, but the flavor will not be quite the same

Recipe:

2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) coconut milk
6 thin slices young aglangal (kha orn)
2 stalks lemon grass/citronella (ta-krai), lower 1/3 portion onlym, cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) lemghts and cruhed
5 fresh kaffir lime leave (bai ma -grood), torn in half
8 oz (250 g) boned chicken breast, sliced
5 tablespoons (2 1/2 fl oz/75 ml) fish sauce (nam pla)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) lime juice
1 teaspoon black chili paste (nam prik pow)
1/4 cup cilantro/coriander leave (bai pak chee), torn
5 green Thai chili peppers (prik khee noo), crushed

How to cook:

1. Combine half the coconut milk with the galangal, lemon grass and lime leave in a large saucepan and heat to boiling. Add the chlicken, fish sauce and sugar.

2. Simmer for about 4 minutes, or until the chlicken is cooked. Add the remaining coconut milk to the saucepan and heat just to boiling.

3. Place the lime juice and chili paste in a serving bowl then pour the soup into the serving bowl.

TOM KHA KAI



4. Garnish with the torn cilantro leaves and crushed chili pepper, and serve.