Tom yam goong (prawn hot and sour soup)

Long has it been since I have seen you kitchen accountants!

I've not been experimenting lately since the beginning of the year had been very busy at work. I've been cooking, but mainly stuff not worth sharing about. And most of them are recipes that require very complicated techniques like smoking. 

So tonight I'm cooking tom yum goong. Arguably the most popular thai food ever. When I was growing up, thai food was not readily available, even in the north where I was staying. It was considered luxury food, and was very expensive. I remember this one restaurant in Sg. Petani called restaurant Hajjah. It was sort of an establishment for the Sg petani elites and government functions. If you get invited to dine there, you're minted, son. Nowadays, however, you can't miss the local Thai food scene. It has become synonymous with Malay food, although it is categorically not.

My goal is to create tom yum soup that is similar to the really good stuff you get at posh thai restaurants like Sri Ayuthayya or even established favorites like Thai express. I've experimented with a few recipes and ingredients and have found the one i think is the closest; and as always afordable.

Key ingredient for this dish is the prawn. You'd want the freshest, best looking river prawns you can find. Therefore if you're penny conscious, this dish may be a seasonal thing. I got my river prawns at Rm 33 a kilogram. In my wife's hometown Sibu, RM33 a kilo will buy you XL size prawns. But alas.. I am not Adrian Mole (don't worry if you don't get this reference people rarely do). So a handful of small to medium sized prawns came to about RM8. I am splurging, to be honest.

You would also need the following:-

Chicken stock

Lemongrass (if the good thai one is available then get that)

Kafir lime leaves (about 5-6)

Galangal (8-10 slices- see picture)

Juice of 3-4 lime (don't put all at once; limes are mysteriously inconsistent in their acidity)

Thai chillies (2-3 depending on how Asian you are)

Corriander leaves (because)

Fish sauce

Thai chilli paste

Oyster mushroom

Coconut milk (secret ingredient)

This is the brand you will be using. DO NOT GET ANYTHING ELSE THIS IS THE ONLY ONE YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT.

It's halal, don't worry zealots.

The steps are ridiculously easy:-

1. Heat the chicken stock. Alternatively you can bring water to a boil and throw some chicken bones in and let it simmer for a while. I have tried this recipe with and without the chicken juju, and i like this better. 

2. Clean the prawns by removing the heads carefully and cutting along the back of the prawns halfway to butterfly it. Remove the black gunk you find. Put the heads into the chicken stock. The chicken and prawn flavor is borderline majestic.

3. Add in the galangal, lime leaves and lemongrass. If you like your heat in the tummy, put in your chillies now, if you like it on your lips, put it in at the end (you didn't know that didja?!) simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes. 

4. Add in the chilli paste, about 3 tbspoon, and the rest of the seafood. Leave it on the heat for about 30 seconds then turn off the heat. You don't want to overcook the prawns.

5. Add in some coconut milk, it should cloud up the soup. I guess less than a quarter cup should be enough. You don't really need to put in a lot, but the coconut milk really brings all the different flavors together. Add the lime juice and fish sauce to taste. Salt and sugar. Do not cook the lime juice because it will make your soup bitter.

6. Serve with some fresh corriander leaves for awesomeness!

Oh, you totally have to go with thai fragrant rice for this, it is just meant to be.

Ok, so costs. Not a cheap meal mainly because prawns cost a lot. I think

I spent approximately rm25 for 2 bowls of soup with high quality prawns. Not that different from what you can get at Thai express. But there's like 6-7 river prawns in there so i still think it's a win. The key to this dish only use fresh and natural imgredients. Don't use those bottled instant tom yum paste, and keep the cooking process simple. I used to make

Tom yum with onions and garlic and stuff and never realized i've been doing it wrong.

Please try this and be amazed!!!