This is the hot and sour Thai soup that I love so much and regularly get from my local Chinese/Thai takeaway place.
(I call it Tum Yum - the name says it all!)
I've decided to experiment today and try and make my own at home. Found these 2 easy recipes online and I'm going to flit between the two and try and make my own version. If it comes out OK, I will do some more and have it ready for my niece and her OH who will be here this weekend, over from Holland.
TOM YUM CHICKEN SOUP
2tsp tom yum paste
600ml (1pt) chicken stock, hot (fresh if possible)
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 stick lemongrass, thickly sliced
squeeze fresh lime juice
1tbsp fish sauce
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
1tsp caster sugar
75g (3oz) leftover cooked chicken, shredded
75g (3oz) button mushrooms, halved
1 tomato, chopped into thin wedges
fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
Heat the tom yum paste in a medium saucepan. Add the hot chicken stock, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, lime juice, fish sauce, chilli and sugar. Bring to the boil and then simmer over a medium heat for 5 minutes to infuse all the flavours and make a spicy stock.
Add the chicken, halved button mushrooms and tomato wedges and simmer for another 2 minutes to warm through. Divide the soup between 2 bowls, then garnish with some fresh coriander leaves to serve.
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1tbsp vegetable oil
6 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
400g skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into thin strips
1tbsp tom yum paste
900ml chicken stock
2 kaffir lime leaves
150g green beans or mange tout
Few small whole red chilli peppers, optional
1tsp caster sugar
Squeeze of lime juice
1tbsp fish sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Also discovered that one of the ingredients in particular - Galangan (which is actually included in these recipes in the Tom Yam paste that I'm using) is extremely beneficial health-wise, for things like rheumatic pain and gastric problems (to name just a few). It's actually a natural medicine, apparently widely used in Asian countries.
It's probably not that easy to get fresh around here, but I'll have a look up in Tesco's which does have a wide range of herbs and spices.
Meanwhile, I have found a very helpful video with tips on how to make this soup. The recipe there substitutes the chicken for shrimp - but as this is not something that agrees with me, I will be using the chicken version ....
(I call it Tum Yum - the name says it all!)
I've decided to experiment today and try and make my own at home. Found these 2 easy recipes online and I'm going to flit between the two and try and make my own version. If it comes out OK, I will do some more and have it ready for my niece and her OH who will be here this weekend, over from Holland.
TOM YUM CHICKEN SOUP
2tsp tom yum paste
600ml (1pt) chicken stock, hot (fresh if possible)
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 stick lemongrass, thickly sliced
squeeze fresh lime juice
1tbsp fish sauce
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
1tsp caster sugar
75g (3oz) leftover cooked chicken, shredded
75g (3oz) button mushrooms, halved
1 tomato, chopped into thin wedges
fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
Heat the tom yum paste in a medium saucepan. Add the hot chicken stock, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, lime juice, fish sauce, chilli and sugar. Bring to the boil and then simmer over a medium heat for 5 minutes to infuse all the flavours and make a spicy stock.
Add the chicken, halved button mushrooms and tomato wedges and simmer for another 2 minutes to warm through. Divide the soup between 2 bowls, then garnish with some fresh coriander leaves to serve.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1tbsp vegetable oil
6 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
400g skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into thin strips
1tbsp tom yum paste
900ml chicken stock
2 kaffir lime leaves
150g green beans or mange tout
Few small whole red chilli peppers, optional
1tsp caster sugar
Squeeze of lime juice
1tbsp fish sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- Heat the oil in a large wok or deep frying pan and fry the spring onions for 2 to 3 mins. Add the chicken strips and stir-fry for 4 to 5 mins until no longer pink. Stir in the tom yum paste and cook for 1 min.
- Pour in the stock and add the lime leaves and green beans or mange tout and small whole chilli peppers, if using. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 mins until the chicken is just cooked.
- Add the sugar, lime juice and fish sauce and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the coriander and simmer for 1 to 2 mins until just wilted. Serve in warmed bowls.
Also discovered that one of the ingredients in particular - Galangan (which is actually included in these recipes in the Tom Yam paste that I'm using) is extremely beneficial health-wise, for things like rheumatic pain and gastric problems (to name just a few). It's actually a natural medicine, apparently widely used in Asian countries.
It's probably not that easy to get fresh around here, but I'll have a look up in Tesco's which does have a wide range of herbs and spices.
Meanwhile, I have found a very helpful video with tips on how to make this soup. The recipe there substitutes the chicken for shrimp - but as this is not something that agrees with me, I will be using the chicken version ....