White Tom Yam

So here's the next installment in my Culinary Adventures series... As you can tell they are few and far in between. Probably because I haven't posted up the unsuccessful attempts (including 2 disastrous fudge making episodes) which would leave no time for blogging about anything else. Here's a recipe I've tried successfully, JM's white tomyam recipe supplemented with some online help.

White Tom Yam

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (500 ml) Chicken Stock

Note: Apparently the cube stuff is crap but its also the shortcut way if you don't have time to make everything from scratch. You can also use seafood/ beef/ vegetables (only one at a time please) but I've only ever tried chicken.

• 3-4 Kaffir Lime Leaves (that, unsurprisingly, is the leafy stuff at the front right corner)
• 200 ml Lime Juice = 5 big limes and a few of the smaller, sweeter ones
• 4-5 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 3-4 stalks Lemongrass 
• 2-4 heaped tbsps Chillies (any kind - red, green, large, medium, small provided more than half is spicy)
• 2 tsp Sugar
• Mushrooms (lots and lots)

Note: All the ingredients can be found in the market for really cheap. I got everything under RM10. Even the huge bottle of fish sauce cost only about RM2.

1. To make the soup stock throw the chicken bones in with enough water to cover it till meat is dry (approx 1-2 hours at least) or in the case of vegetables until soft. 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.)

 

1. Prepare ingredients. Like for lemongrass you can only use the fat white bits of the bottom. And you have to bruise it with a knife (hit it with the flat edge to release the flavour). Limes have to be cut up and the juice squeezed out, sieve to get rid of the seeds. (Oh this might sound really dumb but if you're a real cooking idiot like me you should halve the limes in between the little ends rather than across them if that makes sense, cause that's how you get all the juice.) As for chillies you just cut the stem off the big ones and slice them into inch long pieces, some people like to take the seeds out. For the small ones just slice it a little in the middle.

2. Place kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, sugar, chillies and lime juice in a bowl and mix. 

3. Bring the stock to boil if it has cooled. Add your meat. Once meat is half cooked (you can test this by colour. Seafood is cooked when the colour is darker (i.e. prawns), chicken is cooked when it is white/yellow, not pink, beef and pork is cooked when it is no longer red/pink.), add the wet ingredients from 1

4. Add the lemongrass. Simmer and stir. Let the chillies cook.

5. Taste and modify periodically. Fish sauce makes it salty, lime juice sour and sugar (surprisingly) makes it sweeter. Chillies naturally more spicy. But don't be dumb like me over here and continue tossing in chillies because 'its not spicy enough'. The flavour comes out over time.

6. Serve. Good with noodles or rice.

 

Eh, got good reviews k..

Chef (JM's) Notes:

a) For an extra kick, you can add coconut milk, but only at the end, and only a little bit to see it turn from transparent to opaque.

b) Alternatively, add coconut water, it makes it quite interesting. I advise you not to do that to a big pot before you've tried it on yourself first. I didn't quite like it, so better to have a taste test.

c) All the measurements above are minimum approximations only. Modify, add/reduce anything to your own taste. If the soups is too bland, sometimes its cause the stock was too diluted.

d) Remember not to overcook the lemongrass and lime leaves. Remove them if you're going to be keeping this in a pot.

e) The completed soup doesn't really keep, so be careful how much you make.

f) This serves about 4 people.