Thai Hot and Sour Fish Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/4 pound any firm, white-fleshed fish fillets, cut into large pieces
- 4 cups cold water
- 3 tamarind slices
- 2-4 fresh or dried chiles
- 2 kaffir lime leaves or bay leaves
- 1 1-inch piece ginger
- 1 1-inch fresh or dried galingal*
- 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, cut into 3 pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water (optional)
- 1/2 pound mustard greens, shredded
- 1 bunch watercress
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
How to cook Thai Hot and Sour Fish Soup:
- To make the stock, put the water into a large saucepan with the tamarind, chiles, kaffir lime leaves or bay leaves, ginger, galingal, lemongrass, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- By this time the stock will be very fragrant from the lemongrass and other aromatic ingredients. Strain this through a fine sieve, discarding the solids.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil and fry the onion until soft, then add the stock you have just made.
- Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the chicken or vegetable stock or water, if desired (this additional liquid is needed if the soup is to serve 6 people).
- Add the mustard greens, watercress, and daikon. Simmer for 4 minutes. Increase the heat and bring the stock to a rolling boil, then add the fish and cilantro. Let the mixture boil for 4 minutes, then add the soy sauce and fish sauce.
- Cook the fish soup for 1 more minute, then serve immediately.
Notes:
The Thai name for the Hot and Sour Fish Soup is Tom Sum.
Tom Sum is a traditional Thai soup characterized by its distinct hot and sour flavors, with fragrant herbs generously used. The basic broth is made of stock and fresh ingredients such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, Thai fish sauce and crushed chili peppers.
Comments:
*The Galangal plant (Galanga, Blue Ginger) is a rhizome with culinary and medicinal uses. (Thai: “Kha”). It is used in various Asian cuisines (for example in Thai cuisine Tom Sum, Tom Yum soups, and Tom Kha Gai). Though it is related to and resembles ginger, there is little similarity in taste.
This recipe for Thai Hot and Sour Fish Soup serves/makes: 4 – 6
The Thai Hot and Sour Fish Soup (Tom Sum) recipe is adopted from The Homestyle Thai and Indonesian Cooking by Sri Owen 1988.Main Ingredient: Various Fish
Preparation Method: Soup/Stew
Cuisine: Thai