Recently, Asian dishes have gained immense popularity on the territory of the CIS countries due to their unique exotic taste, high energy value and, of course, usefulness. One of these dishes is Tom Yam soup. For those who once visited Thailand and cannot forget its rich taste and aroma, dream of experiencing this pleasure again, or for those who, out of curiosity, want to try unusual food and understand why Tom Yam is so popular, there is an opportunity to cook an amazing soup in at home and very easily and quickly.
What is this dish and what is its uniqueness?
Tom Yam is considered the national dish of Laos and Thailand, and is a spicy and sour soup based on broth with seafood, chicken, shrimp, mushrooms and any fish. He is also loved in other Asian countries.
As for the name, everything is simple. Tom means boil or boil, yam means Thai spicy salad.
Soup is considered a moderately spicy dish, with a rich note of lime and a taste of coconut milk. This is a very healthy and high-calorie product, but at the same time, after a meal, the feeling of heaviness in the stomach is not felt.
How to cook Tom Yum?
There is nothing difficult in preparing a delicious soup, in addition, the process does not take much time and does not require any special culinary skills. However, the ingredients for this dish, or rather for its base, cannot always be found quickly in our supermarkets, so it is advisable to use a ready-made base and buy the rest of the ingredients.
Next, let's take a look at the recipe for how to quickly cook Thai soup at home.
What's in a soup base?
First of all, consider the components contained in the finished base:
• broth with the addition of herbs (water, galangal plant, lime, shallot, chili pepper);
• coconut milk (water and coconut pulp);
• fish sauce;
• chili paste;
• sugar;
• dried red chili;
• shrimp paste.
A simple recipe
Shake the pack well, open and pour the contents into a saucepan (or any other suitable container) without diluting with water. Add auxiliary ingredients according to your taste. These can be mushrooms, fish, chicken, shrimp or other seafood. Turn on the heat on medium heat and cook for a few minutes until cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Lovers of homemade Thai soup are divided into two camps. Some say that a dish obtained from a ready-made base lacks spiciness. Others, on the contrary, argue that this is spicy food. If you've never eaten Tom Yum, taste the food as you cook. If you find that the soup is too hot for you, add a little coconut milk, and if you don't have one on hand, milk cream is ideal.
Important! To spice up the dish before serving, culinary experts advise to season it with a little cilantro.
Recipe for soup with tiger prawns, mushrooms and vegetables
Tom Yam with tiger prawns, vegetables and mushrooms is perhaps the most common option. Cooking is just as easy:
1. Thinly chop mushrooms, bell peppers and leeks.
2. Empty the contents of the package into a container.
3. Add mushrooms and vegetables to the soup, cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add shrimps at the last minute.
If you are preparing a soup with frozen shrimp, you must first defrost them by placing them in water for 10-15 minutes. If with fresh ones, they need to be cleaned.
If you do not like shrimp or they were not in the house, this ingredient can be replaced with fish, chicken and any seafood. You can also add more vegetables and herbs, this will definitely not spoil the taste.
Important! To make the soup more satiating, cooking masters advise adding rice or glass noodles - funchose, before that, holding it in cold water for a couple of minutes.
Here's a simple recipe for a hearty and healthy Thai dish that will decorate your table and allow you to enjoy the extraordinary taste. In order to learn the mysteries of Asian cuisine, you do not have to go to Thailand or go to an expensive restaurant. All this can be cooked on your own in a couple of minutes.