4.Tom Yum Gong

The 4 top delicous food in the world



  
Tom yum or tom yam  is a Lao and Thai clear, spicy and sour soup. Tom yum is widely served in neighbouring countries such as  singapore and has been popularised around the world.
Literally, the words "tom yum" are derived from two thai words: "tom" and "yam". "Tom" refers to boiling process, while "yam" refers to a kind of Lao and Thai spicy and sour salad. Thus, "tom yum" is a Lao and Thai hot and sour soup. Indeed, tom yum is characterised by its distinct hot and sour flavours, with fragrant herbs generously used in the broth. The basic broth is made of stock and fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves galangal, Lime juice,fish sauce, and crushed chili pepers.
In neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Singapore, the name tom yum is used widely for various spicy soups which can differ greatly from true Lao and Thai tom yum soup. As a result, people are often confused by the disparities.
Commercial tom yum paste is made by crushing all the herb ingredients and stir frying in oil. Seasoning and other preservative ingredients are then added. The paste is bottled or packaged and sold around the world. Tom yum flavoured with the paste may have different characteristics from that made with fresh herb ingredients. The soup often includes meats such as chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp.
The 1997 financial crisis in asia , which started in Thailand, is sometimes referred to as the "Tom Yam Kung Crisis"

• 6 cups good-quality chicken stock
• 2-3 kaffir lime leaves (can be purchased at most Asian food stores), OR 1/2 tsp. lime zest
• 2 stalks minced lemongrass, OR 3 Tbsp. frozen/bottled prepared lemongrass (or substitute 3 slices lemon)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. grated galangal OR ginger
• 1 fresh red chili, minced, OR 1-2 tsp. Thai chili sauce, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili OR cayenne pepper
• generous handful of fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce (if you dislike the smell of fish sauce, see below for substitution*)
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 12 medium to large shrimp, shells removed
• handful of fresh basil
• optional: other vegetables of your choice: 1 handful of broccoli, cherry tomatoes, or baby bok choy
• optional: 1/2 cup coconut milk OR Carnation evaporated milk (the latter is often used in Thailand for traditional tom yum kung)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander/cilantro

Preparation:

1. Place stock in a large pot over high heat. Add the minced lemongrass (and leftover lemongrass stalks, if using fresh lemongrass), plus lime leaves. Bring to a boil.
2. When soup reaches a bubbling boil, reduce heat to medium, or until you get a nice simmer. Add the garlic, galangal/ginger, chili, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce and soy sauce. Stir well and simmer 3 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp plus other vegetables, if using. Simmer until shrimp are pink and plump (about 3 minutes).
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the coconut milk or Carnation milk (if using). Now taste-test the soup, looking for a balance of salty, sour, and spicy. If not salty or flavorful enough, add 1 Tbsp. more fish sauce OR soy sauce. If too sour, add more sugar. If too spicy (Tom Yum is meant to be spicy!), add a little coconut or Carnation milk. If too salty, add another squeeze of lime juice.
5. For those who like addtional spice/flavor, add a dollop of Thai Nam Prik Pao chili sauce, either store-bought or the homemade. It can also be served on the side in small dishes, so each person can add as much as they prefer.
6. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of fresh coriander. ENJOY!