Soups & Stews Archives - Hot Thai Kitchen
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Demystifying Thai CuisineThu, 29 May 2025 23:34:51 +0000en-US
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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/cropped-HTK-icon-512-32x32.jpgSoups & Stews Archives - Hot Thai Kitchen
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3232Tom Yum Goong Recipe (Creamy Version)
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https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/creamy-tom-yum/#commentsFri, 08 Sep 2017 13:00:39 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=5340Creamy Tom Yum Goong ต้มยำกุ้งนำ้ข้น has become very popular in Thailand in the past several years. It's the richer, more voluptuous sister of the classic "clear broth" tom yum goong. In this video I also review basic techniques and ingredients essential in making the best tom yum possible! When it comes to Thai soups, tom […]
Creamy Tom Yum Goong ต้มยำกุ้งนำ้ข้น has become very popular in Thailand in the past several years. It's the richer, more voluptuous sister of the classic "clear broth" tom yum goong. In this video I also review basic techniques and ingredients essential in making the best tom yum possible!
When it comes to Thai soups, tom yum is indisputably the most popular, and many would argue the most delicious, soup there is. It happens to also be a very easy recipe you can whip up on a weeknight, and all the herbs I used, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, can call be frozen and you can quickly throw them in directly from the freezer.
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
We can email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
Rinse shrimp well, then peel and devein them (see video for a cool deveining trick!) and place all heads and shells into a stock pot. Put the pot over medium high heat and saute the shrimp shells until stuff that sticks to the pot starts to brown slightly. It should smell like shrimp on the grill!
Add water, scrape off the browned bits that are stuck to the pot, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then, use a slotted skimmer to remove the shells, making sure to drain off as much of the liquid as you can.
If using chicken stock, start from here:
Smash lemongrass and cut into chunks. Roughly tear the kaffir lime leaves. Finely chop the chilies or pound in a mortar and pestle into a paste.
Bring the stock to a simmer, then add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and chilies (if you pounded the chilies, rinse the mortar with some of the stock to make sure you get all the chili bits into the pot). Simmer for 5 minutes. Note: The herbs are not meant to be eaten, so at this point you can either fish them out, but I like to leave some in there for garnish. Just be sure to tell your guests not to eat them!
Add evaporated milk and bring to boil. Add mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes or until mushrooms are done.
Add chili paste and fish sauce, and stir to dissolve the chili paste. Add shrimp meat and cook just until done, 30 seconds or so.
Turn off the heat and let the soup cool down slightly, just for a minute, so it is not simmering or boiling. Add lime juice while stirring.
Stir in sawtooth coriander or cilantro, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
To serve, you can pour the soup over rice, add rice to the soup bowl, or have the soup on the side as part of a bigger meal. Enjoy!
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/creamy-tom-yum/feed/20Viral Tom Yum Instant Noodles (Mama Jeh O)
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https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/mama-tom-yum-jeh-o/#commentsFri, 26 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=19494If you follow the Bangkok food scene you may have heard of a restaurant called Jeh O on Banthadthong Street (aka Jeh O Chula) with lines out the door everyday. What are people lining up for? Instant noodles. Yes, instant noodles! But it is the most deluxe, most delicious bowl of tom yum instant noodles […]
If you follow the Bangkok food scene you may have heard of a restaurant called Jeh O on Banthadthong Street (aka Jeh O Chula) with lines out the door everyday. What are people lining up for? Instant noodles.
Yes, instant noodles! But it is the most deluxe, most delicious bowl of tom yum instant noodles I have ever had, and it was worth the wait. I wanted to try it specifically so that I can recreate it, and I'm happy to report that my recreation was a success! You can see my experience at Jeh O in Bangkok and watch the recreation process in this video!
How Instant Noodles Went Viral and Became Iconic
"Jeh O" is the name of the auntie chef-owner of this a 60-year-old restaurant that was originally known for khao tom ped, a duck version of this Thai rice soup. Around 2015, Jeh-O's son made a tom yum mama noodle soup for himself (Mama being Thailand's favourite instant noodles). But instead of using just the seasoning powder for the soup, he made creamy tom yum soup from scratch and dressed it with a lot of toppings. He posted it on social media and it looked so impressive that his friends asked him to make it for them.
He served it right in the pot, with lots of toppings, and when he plopped it on the table people said, "Oho!" which is Thai for "wow." So he named the dish "Mama Oho."
When Jeh O consulted her son about how to draw in more customers during the quiet late night hours, he suggested putting his Mama Oho on the menu because mama is a popular late night snack for many Thais.
And people went wild for it. After they announced the new item on social media, lines were forming around the block on day 1. Literally overnight an iconic dish was born. It has been many years, and Mama Oho has stood the test of time and people are still lining up for it today, and I was one of them!
Ingredients and Notes
Here are all the ingredients you'll need, and important notes about them. For amounts, see the full recipe card below.
For the Noodle Soup
Creamy Tom Yum Mama noodles. You can find these at many Asian grocery stores. If this flavour is not available you can also get regular tom yum flavour, but note that creamy tom yum flavour is bigger than other flavours (90 g vs. 55 g), so you'll need to get more packs of the smaller size.
Thai chili paste(nam prik pao) aka Thai chili jam. This is an important part of this dish, so there is no substitute! If you can't find it in stores, you can make your own following my Thai chili paste recipe.
Thai chili paste oil. This is the oil that is on top of every jar of Thai chili paste when you buy them. If you're using a half-used jar and there isn't any more oil, you can substitute another chili oil as long as it's doesn't have too-strong flavours of other "irrelevant" spices.
Thai chilies, chopped. Put as much or as little as you can tolerate, but the dish as served at Jeh O is about medium spicy.
Pork stock, unsalted (If you're making the meatballs, you can just use the meatball cooking water as your stock). Otherwise see my pork stock recipe here.
Egg whites, which will be mixed into the broth. Keep the yolks for topping.
Evaporated milk. If you can't have dairy, you can substitute coconut milk.
For the Toppings
Mama Oho is not complete without elaborate toppings, this is what makes it WOW! Feel free to pick and choose the toppings here, but I highly recommend the meatballs!
Thai style pork meatballs or what we call moo deng, recipe included beloe.
Crispy pork belly, store bought is fine, or if you're feeling ambitious you can make it using my crispy pork belly recipe
Shrimp, large ones for the same impressive effect. Ideally at least size 21/25.
Squid or crab meat, whichever you prefer, or both!
Sawtooth coriander or cilantro
Lime slices, these are just for show, feel free to omit.
Egg yolks
For the Meatballs (moo deng)
White peppercorns
Garlic
Ground pork, preferably not lean, but lean is fine
Soy sauce
Fish sauce
Sugar
A small ice cube, optional
Food processor, optional. Ideally you'll also need a food processor for the meatballs (small one is fine). If you don't have one, it's ok.
How to Make Mama Tom Yum Noodles - Jeh O Style
Here's a bird's eye view of the process, for the full recipe with complete instructions and ingredient amounts, see the recipe card below.
Pound the garlic and pepper into a paste (not shown). Add the pork, the garlic paste, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and a small ice cube into a food processor.
Process the pork into a paste. Without a food processor just knead all ingredients together well with your hand.
Roll them into little balls and cook them in boiling water for about 2 minutes or until cooked through.
Remove the meatballs and, using the same water, blanch the shrimp until fully cooked. If using squid, blanch them in this water too. Keep the water as a base for the soup.
Into a medium pot, add the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, fish sauce, lime juice, Thai chilies, chili paste, chili paste oil, and all of the seasoning powder and chili paste packets that came with Mama.
Add the pork stock (or meatball cooking water) and bring to a vigorous boil.
Add the noodles and pour the egg whites on top of the noodles. Keep pushing on the noodles until they start to loosen and try to get all the noodles to be submerged.
Once the noodles are softened (takes only 1 minute) turn off the heat and stir in the evaporated milk. *Noodles are already cooked, they just need to be rehydrated and they'll continue to soften in the hot broth, so do not overcook the noodles!
Immediately pour into a serving bowl and top with toppings. Do this quickly as the noodles will swell up too much if you take too long.
Take a quick photo of this masterpiece, and enjoy immediately!
FAQs
Can I use another brand of instant noodles?
Mama noodles are unlike any other instant noodles, so for the right flavour and texture, you should use Mama Creamy Tom Yum or regular tom yum flavours. If you use other brands, the noodle texture will be very different and you won't have the right seasoning powder, and cooking time will also be different. However, feel free to take this idea and adapt your own "deluxe" version of your favourite noodles!
Can this be made in advance?
You can make the broth in advance. I would leave out the egg whites, lime juice and evaporated milk, then when ready to serve bring the broth to a boil, cook the noodles and egg whites, and add the lime juice and evaporated milk at the end.
Can leftovers be stored and reheated?
No, the noodles will be all swollen up and gross if you keep them. Don't make anymore than you can eat in one meal. You should also eat them immediately after they're cooked or, again, the noodles will swell.
A viral dish from Jeh O, a popular restaurant in Bangkok, with lines out the door daily. Mama instant noodles in a rich and creamy tom yum broth, loaded with luxurious toppings. It was worth lining up for, and this recipe gets it almost identical to the real thing!
Bring at least 4 cups of water to a boil for cooking the pork. Meanwhile, pound the garlic and peppercorns into a paste.
1 clove garlic, ¼ teaspoon white peppercorns
Add the pork into a food processor and add the garlic paste, all of the seasonings, and a small ice cube. Blitz until the pork resembles a paste, which should only take 15-20 seconds. It does not have to be super smooth. Scrape down sides as needed.If you don't have a food processor, simply knead all meatball ingredients together well with your hand. The texture of the meatball will be rougher, but it's okay.
9 oz ground pork, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 2 teaspoon sugar, 1 small ice cube
Roll the pork into balls, about ½-inch in diameter, then add them all into the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove with a wire skimmer and set aside.
Use the same water to blanch your shrimp and/or squid, just until they are done, then fish them out and set aside.
3 big shrimp
For the Mama Tom Yum Noodle Soup:
* This dish takes just a few minutes to make and must be eaten immediately after cooking so make sure you’re ready to eat before you start!
In a medium size pot, add the lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, chopped chilies, chili paste, chili paste oil, fish sauce, lime juice, and all of the seasoning packets that come with the noodles (the chili powder is optional). Add the pork stock (or use 3 cups of the meatball cooking water) and bring to a boil.
4 lime leaves, 1 stalk lemongrass, 10 thin slices galangal, ¼ cup Thai chili paste, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, ¼ cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped Thai chilies, or to taste, 2 tablespoons chili paste oil, 2 packs Creamy Tom Yum Mama noodles, 3 cups pork stock
Once the broth is vigorously boiling, add the noodle blocks and pour the egg whites directly on top of the noodles so the noodles help breakup the whites. At first the noodle block on top will not be submerged, so I ladle the broth over the top and keep pushing it down and eventually the bottom noodles will soften which will make room for all the noodles to become submerged.
2 egg whites
After about 1 minute, the noodles should be mostly loosened from their block shape, turn off the heat and stir in the evaporated milk. (Be careful not to overcook the noodles. Mama noodles are already fully cooked, so they just need to be softened, and they will continue to soften after the heat is off, so at this point it should be a little firm.)
½ cup evaporated milk
Immediately pour the noodles into a large serving bowl and quickly arrange all the toppings on top and serve immediately. Mama noodles swell up quickly even off heat so you want to eat as quickly as possible after cooking (and taking a photo)!
4 pieces crispy pork belly, 3.5 oz squid or crab meat, ¼ cup chopped sawtooth coriander, 8 thin slices of lime, 2 egg yolks
Video
Notes
If possible, use Chua Hah Seng chili paste, which is the brand Jeh O uses, though I've not seen this in the export market. Otherwise look for Maepranom, and if all else fails, Pantai brand is fine.
Chili paste oil is the oil that is on top of the Thai chili paste jar. If you don't have much of it, you can omit, or use another chili oil that doesn't have too much of other strong "irrelevant" flavours.
Two packs of Creamy Tom Yum Mama is a total of 180 g of noodles. You can also use 3.25 packs of regular size tom yum Mama.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/mama-tom-yum-jeh-o/feed/6Classic Thai Noodle Soup - Street Style
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https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/classic-noodle-soup/#commentsFri, 23 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=19805Noodle soup or guay tiew nam ก๋วยเตี๋ยวน้ำ, is one of the poster children of Thai street food. No matter where you are in the country, you can find a shop selling some type of noodle soup near you. But this one, with clear pork broth and Asian style meatballs, is what I consider the "OG," […]
Noodle soup or guay tiew nam ก๋วยเตี๋ยวน้ำ, is one of the poster children of Thai street food. No matter where you are in the country, you can find a shop selling some type of noodle soup near you. But this one, with clear pork broth and Asian style meatballs, is what I consider the "OG," the basic, the margherita pizza of pizzas. It's the simplest and easiest of noodle soups, and the ultimate comfort food. Make the stock in advance, and it's quick enough to put together for a weeknight meal.
If you're a fan of Vietnamese pho, you're going to love this one!
What is a "Classic" Thai Noodle Soup?
There are many, many different kinds of noodle soups in Thailand, ranging from the famous and flavourful boat noodles, the unique pink yentafo, and the rich curry noodle soup khao soi. But if you take away all of the particular spices and sauces and toppings used in other more elaborate noodle soups, this classic comforting noodle soup is what we end up with.
In Thai we call this guay tiew look chin, or noodles with meatballs, but usually you'd also specify what kind of meatballs. So here we're using fish balls and fish cakes, so it's guay tiew look chin pla. If using pork balls, another very common version, it is guay tiew look chin moo.
Fish balls and pork balls are the two most common types of meatballs used for this dish in Thailand, but you can definitely use chicken or beef meatballs instead, or sub any other kind of protein, more on this below.
Ingredients and Notes
Here are all the ingredients you'll need and important notes about them. For amounts, see the the full recipe card below. Don't be deterred by the list of ingredients! May of the ones listed are optional but I want to give you the whole range of possiblities, and the basics that you really need are not that many!
For the Pork Stock (or chicken stock)
There are times when store bought stocks are totally fine, and this is not one of them. The pork stock is the foundation of the soup, and it really needs to be made Thai style to have the right flavour and aromatics. If you don't eat pork, you can substitute chicken bones.
Pork neck bones or back bones, I prefer neck bones because it has more meat which you can either save for another dish of simply top the noodle soup with it. Sub chicken bones if you don’t eat pork.
Daikon. I used to think that daikon was an optional stock aromatic, but after having made stocks with and without daikon, I now believe it is essential. It makes the stock so sweet and flavourful, and is a must have in Thailand for stocks.
Garlic.
Onion. Onion is not actually added to stocks in Thailand, but I love the added sweetness that it gives, and don't we always have an onion around the house anyway? 🙂
Cilantro roots, or cilantro stems, smashed gently to bruise.
Asian style fish cakes/fish balls, or other types of Asian style meatballs of your choice. You can buy fish cakes at any Asian grocery stores, either fresh in the seafood counter or frozen. There are many flavours, and you can use anything you like, but try to stick with ones with fewer ingredients as they tend to be of higher quality. Other protein options: Because the soup is quite plain, I encourage you to use protein that is flavourful such as: the meat you picked off from the bones after making the pork stock tossed with some soy sauce and pepper, chopped leftover meats that is flavourful like a good steak or roast chicken, thinly sliced marinated pork or chicken, or ground pork cooked with some soy sauce.
Bean sprouts.
Fried garlic and garlic oil. Really important toppings for Thai noodle soup! You simply need to fry some chopped garlic on low heat until golden, but you can see the full recipe for fried garlic here.
Chopped cilantro and/or green onions for garnish
Optional: "tang chai" preserved cabbage bits. These are little bits of crunchy salted cabbage that we often add to our noodle soups. You can see them at the end of the video, but they are totally optional.
Optional Tableside Condiments:
Thai people always provide extra condiments for noodle soup so people can make it taste exactly how you want it. You can also make it “tom yum style” which is a hot and sour version (more on this below).
Chili vinegar, the basic version is simpley chopped chilies and white vinegar. You can also blend the chilies and the vinegar together. Read more about this on my chili vinegar post.
Fish sauce, if you want to soup to be more salty.
Sugar.
Roasted chili flakes, or any kind of spicy chili powder if you want to make it spicy. this is also needed for the tom yum style. You can buy or easily make your own roasted chili flakes.
Here's a bird's eye view of the process. The full instructions are in the recipe card below, and if this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success!
Simmer pork neck bones in water for about 30 minutes, then skim off the scum.
Add the daikon, onion, garlic, cilantro roots/stems, and white pepper and simmer for another hour, at minimum.
Remove the pork bones and vegetables; the stock is now ready to use. Once the bones are cool, pick off the meat from the bones and you can season it with some soy sauce and use it to top the noodle soup, or save it for another dish.
If using rice noodles, soak them in room temperature water until they are fully pliable. Timing varies between noodles, more on this below.
Add soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and white pepper to the broth and bring to a boil.
Add all of the fish cakes and simmer for about 2 minutes or until the fish cakes are hot. Keep covered until ready to use.
Blanch one portion of the noodles and beansprouts in a noodle strainer or sieve for the required amount of time (varies between noodles). Drain and place into a serving bowl.
Top with the hot broth and fish cakes along with all of the garnishes.
Serve immediately with tableside condiments, if desired, or make it tom yum style (see below).
Noodle Options and Cooking Instructions
At most Thai noodle soup vendors, you will have several noodle options and they all need slightly different preparations below. You can learn more about how to cook rice noodles properly in my post on mastering rice noodles.
Rice vermicelli (sen mee) - The smallest of noodles and the quickest to prep. Simply soak them in room temp water for 5-15 mins (timing varies between brands) until they are completely limp, then drain. DO NOT OVERSOAK as these overcook very easily. To cook, blanch them in boiling water, one portion at a time, for 3 seconds.
Small dry rice noodles (sen lek) - The most classic option. These noodles are 1.5 mm wide when dry. Soak in room temp water for 20-30 minutes or until they turn opaque white and are completely limp - they should have lost all of the kinks - and then drain. To cook, blanch them in boiling water, one portion at a time, for 5 seconds.
Glass noodles (woon sen) - woonsen is thin, delicate, and has a neutral flavour and is delicious in boat noodles. Soak in room temp water for 10 minutes until softened before cooking. To cook, boil in hot water for 2 minutes. You can cook all of the glass noodles at once since they take a longer time to cook, then separate into portions immediately after draining.
Fresh wide rice noodles (sen yai) - This is the noodles commonly associated with pad see ew. If cold and stuck together, microwave the noodles until they are hot and soft, so they can be peeled apart without breaking. Separate all the noodles before cooking. To cook, blanch them one portion at a time for literally 1-2 seconds just to heat them up and wash off the oil that's used to coat them. Do not let them linger in hot water for too long because they're already fully cooked and will quickly turn mushy.
Wonton noodles or egg noodles (bamee) - These vary greatly between brands, so you'll have to change the cooking time according to what you've got. But if you have thin wonton noodles like the one shown in the pic (fresh and coated in flour), loosen the noodles and boil them in hot water for 1 minute. If you're making many portions, you can cook them all at once and separate them immediately after draining.
Mama Instant Noodles (sen mama) - Mama are the Thai instant noodles and they are super tasty in boat noodles! Buy any flavour of mama since you won't need the seasoning packets, but make sure the noodles are the classic wheat fried noodles as shown in the pic. Boil the noodles in water for about 1 minute, and you can cook all portions together and separate them after draining.
Medium sizerice noodles (not pictured): These are 3mm wide rice noodles, but they are actually not offered in Thailand for noodle soups because they are meant for stir fries. But if these are what you have, soak them in room temp water for 1 hour until fully pliable, then blanch in boiling water for 8 seconds.
Pro Tip: Making it Tom Yum Style
In Thailand, when you go to most noodle soup shops you can order your noodle soup "tom yum" style. This is not to be confused with the famous tom yum soup. In the context of noodle soup, this means that they will make your soup hot and sour with the addition of lime juice and roasted chili flakes, and you can have tom yum style for most types of noodle soups that have a clear broth.
The fully loaded tom yum style also has coarsely ground roasted peanuts and ground pork, but the lime and chilies are the most important. I have a recipe for the fully loaded tom yum noodle soup here if you want to give it a go!
Advance Prep & Storage
The only thing that takes time is the pork stock, everything else is super easy to come together. So I would make the pork stock in advance, and that should be all you need to do.
You can also soak rice noodles in advance, drain, and keep them in the fridge. But do not soak rice vermicelli in advance as I find they tend to become mushy as they sit in the fridge and absorb excess moisture around them.
You can store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 1 week, and you can freeze it of course.
Before you start, if this is your first time, be sure to watch the video tutorial to ensure success!
This simple noodle soup is the epitome of Thai street food. Your noodle of choice, in a comforting clear pork broth, topped with fish cakes or meatballs of your choice. Prep the stock in advance and you'll have the perfect quick meal for a cozy evening.
8ozThai rice vermicelli noodlesor another noodles of your choice (see note 2)
8ozAsian style fish cakes and fish ballsor other types of meatballs of your choice
2cupsbeansprouts
Fried garlic and garlic oilrecipe here (see note 3)
Chopped cilantro and/or green onionsfor garnish
Tang chai (salted cabbage bits)optional
Optional Tableside Condiments: Thai people always provide extra condiments for noodle soup so people can make it taste exactly how you want it. You can also make it “tom yum style,” more in the post above.
Wash the bones in cold water and add to a large stock pot. Cover the bones with room temp water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium to medium-low to maintain a simmer, and after about 30 minutes of simmering, skim off the scum that has floated to the top.
2 lb pork neck bones or back bones, 3.5 L water
Add the daikon, onion, cilantro root or stems, garlic, and white pepper, then simmer gently for 1 more hour at minimum. You can keep it going for longer if you have time, just be sure to top up the water if needed to keep the bones submerged.
4 inch piece daikon, 1 medium onion, 5 cloves garlic, 3 cilantro roots
Once done, remove the bones with tongs and set aside to cool. Use a skimmer to fish out all the vegetables and discard; alternatively you can strain it through a colander.
The stock is now ready to be used or stored. It will last a week in the fridge and it can be frozen indefinitely.
Pick any meat off the pork bones, and you can toss it with some soy sauce and use it to top the noodle soup or keep it for another dish (you can add it to fried rice, curry, pasta dishes, anything you like!)
For the noodle soup:
If using Thai rice vermicelli, soak the noodles in room temp water for 5-10 minutes until completely pliable - DO NOT OVER SOAK THEM. If using other kinds of noodles, change soaking time accordingly.)
8 oz Thai rice vermicelli noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for cooking the noodles (use A LOT of water so that temperature doesn’t drop drastically once you add the noodles). Meanwhile, add 4 ½ cups of the pork stock to another pot and add soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and ground white pepper and bring to a boil.
4 ½ cups Thai style pork stock, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon fish sauce, 1½ teaspoon sugar, Ground white pepper
Once the broth is boiling, add the fish cakes/balls and cook them for about 30 seconds or until heated through. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning as needed, making sure the broth is strongly seasoned as it’ll be diluted once the noodles are added. Cover and keep hot while you cook the noodles.
8 oz Asian style fish cakes and fish balls
Once the blanching water is boiling, place 1 portion of the noodles and 1 handful of bean sprouts into a noodle strainer or metal sieve that fits inside the pot. Dunk the noodles into the water and shake them around for 3 seconds (or change cooking time accordingly if using other noodles). Lift the noodles out, shake off as much excess water as you can, and place into a serving bowl. Repeat with the remaining portions of noodles, waiting for the water to come back to a boil each time before you cook the next portion.
2 cups beansprouts
Ladle the broth and the fish balls over the cooked noodles, then top with garlic oil, fried garlic, tang chai, and green onions and/or cilantro. For a hot and sour “tom yum style” add a good amount of spicy roasted chili flakes and a good squeeze of lime (about 2-3 teaspoon of lime juice per bowl), plus about ¼ teaspoon of sugar to help balance the lime.
Fried garlic and garlic oil, Chopped cilantro and/or green onions, Tang chai (salted cabbage bits)
Serve with tableside condiments, if desired.
Video
Notes
1. Please do not use store bought stock for this, it really will not be the same.
2. The weight given only applies to dry rice noodles. If using fresh egg noodles you’ll need about 12 oz for 4 servings. If using something else, please use your judgement and eyeball it!
3. Don’t skip the garlic oil! The aroma it adds to the soup is incredible and in Thailand no noodle soup is ever served without it! You can make it in advance and keep it in the fridge. More detail on my post on fried garlic and garlic ol.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/classic-noodle-soup/feed/9Khao Soi: Thai Curry Noodle Soup
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https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/kao-soi/#commentsFri, 12 May 2023 20:39:58 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=1443Regional Thai food isn't very well known, but khao soi ข้าวซอย, with egg noodles in an aromatic curry broth is an exception. Because Northern Thailand is such a popular tourist destination, this Northern Thai curry noodle soup has become popular amongst foreigners. Some might even say if you visit the North of Thailand and didn't […]
Regional Thai food isn't very well known, but khao soi ข้าวซอย, with egg noodles in an aromatic curry broth is an exception. Because Northern Thailand is such a popular tourist destination, this Northern Thai curry noodle soup has become popular amongst foreigners.
Some might even say if you visit the North of Thailand and didn't eat khao soi, you didn't really make it there! It's a truly unique dish, and with this recipe you can recreate the experience of Northern Thailand at home.
What is Khao Soi and Where Did it Come From?
Khao soi ข้าวซอย is a northern Thai noodle soup that uses wheat-based egg noodles and is served in a coconut milk curry broth. It's typically made with chicken or beef, and the bowl is topped with crispy deep fried noodles. Although it is sometimes called "Chiang Mai Noodles" in the West, it is not unique to, nor originated from, Chiang Mai.
Khao means rice and soi means to julienne. It's an interesting name because there is no rice involved in the process. Some say this is because the dish used to use rice noodles made by julienning sheets of dough. Others say khao is short for khao salee which means wheat. Yet some think that the word came from a similar Burmese dish called ohn no khao swe, which I think is more likely because the two dishes are really quite similar.
The exact origin of khao soi is debated, but the prevalent theory seems to be that it came into northern Thailand via Chinese-Muslim immigrants from the Yunnan region, which is why khao soi is not usually made with pork; despite the fact that pork is the most common meat in Thailand.
The Yunnanese, or jeen haw in Thai, would've had to travel through Myanmar in order to get to Northern Thailand, so it is possible that they encountered ohn no khao swe there and brought it with them to Thailand, hence the similarity of the two dishes.
Khao soi in Thailand can vary significantly. This is because after khao soi arrived in Thailand, in whatever form that was originally, Thai people in various places started to modify the dish to suit their own palate. So when you're in Northern Thailand, don't just try one khao soi and think you've "been there done that!"
For example, in northern Thailand you can find something called "Yunnanese khao soi" that bares almost no resemblance to this recipe - the broth has no coconut milk, and the noodles are big fat rice noodles. Aside from the fact that they're both noodles in soup, and a few common ingredients...there is very little else alike. This is possibly as close to the "original" khao soi as it gets.
Ingredients and Notes
Here are all the ingredients and important notes about them. For amounts, see the full recipe card below. There are a number of components to khao soi: the curry paste, the curry, the crispy noodles, and the condiments. Sounds like a lot but many of them are quite simple!
Curry Paste Ingredients
Unfortunately you can't buy store-bought curry paste for khao soi (at least not that I've seen). But the ingredient list for the curry paste isn't long.
Dried chilies. Khao soi is not typically very spicy, so I stick with milder dried chilies such as guajillo or puya. If using spicier chilies, remove all of the seeds and pith to reduce the heat.
Coarse salt, the coarseness of the salt will add friction and helps the curry paste grind more easily.
Ginger, scrub or scrape any loose bits of skin off and trim the woody ends, but there is no need to peel everything off.
Fresh turmeric, wash it well and there is no need to peel it. You can substitute ground turmeric, but I do prefer the flavour of fresh turmeric.
Shallots
Coriander seeds
Black cardamom, this is the spice that will make this curry truly unique. It is not used in all variations of khao soi, but I think it does make it stand out from other kinds of Thai curries. Black cardamom (tsaoko) has an aroma that reminds me of leather, smoke, peaty scotch, and menthol. You can find it at Chinese or Indian grocery stores. If you can't find it, you can try using green cardamom, which is NOT similar, but it'll still taste good and it'll be better than nothing.
Chicken drumsticks or drumettes. Drumsticks are the most common in Thailand as the bones make the broth rich and flavourful. If you're short on time, use drumettes and they will cook in half the time of drumsticks. You can substitute boneless chicken with some caveats; see more on this in the FAQ below.
Soy sauce. It might surprise you to see soy sauce used in a Thai curry, but that's because this is a dish of Chinese Muslim origin! See more on the history of khao soi above.
Fish sauce. Optional, I use fish sauce to do my final seasoning adjustment because I like the flavour, but you can also just use more salt or soy sauce.
Palm sugar, finely chopped. But brown or granulated is fine also.
Wheat-based egg noodles, also known as wonton noodles, can be bought fresh in the refrigerated section at Asian markets. Most commonly khao soi uses flat noodles, but sometimes round ones are used, so whatever you prefer is fine. Some of these noodles will be used for frying as crispy noodles on top.
Chopped cilantro for garnish, optional (not pictured).
Condiments for Khao Soi
These four condiments are iconic, and khao soi is not complete if served without them! However, if you don't eat spicy, you can skip the fried chili flakes.
Lime wedges for a little acidity to help brighten the flavour of the broth.
Chopped shallots, or red onion for some freshness. I personally prefer red onions as they are sweeter and less pungent, but shallots are also fine.
Pickled mustard greens. These really make a difference! They are tart and crunchy and help counter the richness of the broth, a component that's very important in Thai cuisine (more on this below). You can buy pickled mustard greens at many Asian grocery stores, just make sure they are a product of Thailand. You can substitute another crunchy sour pickle though such as pickled carrots or cauliflower.
Fried chili flakes. This is optional for those who want to add some heat to their bowl, and it's made simply by sauteing some chili flakes in oil until dark and smokey.
KHAO SOI SHORTCUT: If you don't have time for a homemade curry paste, in my book SABAI: 100 Weeknight Thai Recipes, I have a "cheat" version that uses modified store-bought red curry paste. Doesn't taste the same, but it'll do in a pinch.
How to Make Khao Soi Step-By-Step
Here's a bird's eye view of the process. Since all the components can be made in advance, I recommend you spread the work out over two days to make it easier. See more on advance prep below. Also if this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorialto ensure success.
For khao soi curry paste
Remove the seeds from the black cardamom pods and place the seeds into a medium dry skillet along with the coriander seeds. Toast over medium high heat, moving them constantly, until the coriander seeds darken slightly. Set aside.
In the same skillet over high heat, place the ginger and turmeric slices down and let them sear until they're slightly charred. Then flip and char the other side and remove from the pan.
In the same skillet, add the shallots and let them char; stirring them around to char them more evenly. Remove from the pan.
Cut the chilies into chunks and pour out most of the seeds.
In a coffee/spice grinder, grind the chilies, black cardamom and coriander seeds into a powder, remove and set aside.
In a heavy-duty mortar and pestle, pound the ginger and turmeric into a fine paste. (*You can also double the recipe to get more volume and use an immersion blender, as shown in my red curry paste recipe.)
Add the shallots and the coarse salt and pound; and once it starts to get wet and slippery, add some of the ground spices to help absorb moisture and add friction.
Pound into a fine paste, then add any remaining dried spices and pound to mix.
For khao soi broth
Add ½ cup (120 ml) of the coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir for a few minutes until the mixture is very thick and coconut oil starts to sizzle around the edges of the paste.
Add the remaining coconut milk and stir to dissolve the paste. Then add water, soy sauce, black soy sauce, and sugar.
Add the chicken drumsticks and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 40 minutes or until the drumsticks are fork tender. (Now's a good time to prep condiments and fry the noodles.)
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more fish sauce if it needs a little more salt.
For crispy noodles: Cut the noodles for frying to about 4 inches, then fry them in a 350°F oil, pressing them down to keep them submerged. Once they are golden brown and the bubbling has almost completely stopped, remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel.
When ready to eat: Boil the noodles until they are fully cooked - timing will vary between brands and noodle sizes. Mine take 3 minutes. Drain and divide into serving bowls.
Place 1 or 2 drumsticks into the bowl and ladle the curry on top.
Serve immediately with the condiments.
For The Fried Chili Flakes (optional)
Of the 4 khao soi condiments, this is the only one that needs to be prepped beyond chopping, but it's a snap. It is also optional and only needed if you want to let your guests to make it spicier.
Add the chili flakes and oil to a small pot or skillet - you can make as much as you want here, it keeps indefinitely in the fridge. Then add just enough oil so that the chili flakes look like wet sand.
Turn the heat on medium low and keep stirring until the chilies start to darken and smell smoky. Transfer into a small bowl immediately to stop the cooking.
"Gae Lien" - The Importance of The Condiments
I admit that on my laziest of days I have had khao soi without the condiments, BUT... it's also not as good. The condiments serve a purpose that we call gae lien, a very important concept in Thai cuisine.
Gae lien can be loosely translated as "to counter the richness." Thai cuisine places great importance in having well balanced flavours in a meal, so when we serve something that is rich and fatty, we always make sure there's something tart, light and crunchy to "counter the richness," and prevent things from becoming cloying and reducing your appetite.
This is why we usually include salads or dip platters in a multi-dish meal, as I explained in this video. But since khao soi is meant to be a meal in itself, the pickled mustard greens, shallots, and lime are necessary for gae lien.
Advance Prep Tips
There are several components to khao soi, so unless you're doing this as a weekend project, I suggest you break the work up over a couple of days. Here are the things you can do ahead of time and how to store them.
Make the curry paste in advance. If you do one thing in advance, this should be it. Make the curry paste, and then if you'll be cooking the curry in the next day or two, keep it refrigerated. Beyond that amount of time, you should freeze the curry paste. It can be frozen for a few months so you can make a big batch and freeze the remainder.
Make the curry broth in advance. The broth will keep well in the fridge for up to a week. You can even freeze it in smaller portions if you want to save it for a rainy day. It will actually taste better once it's had time to sit.
Fry the noodles in advance. The noodles can be fried and kept in an airtight container for up to a week. If you're frying them a few days ahead, fry them until all the bubbles are completely gone to make sure there is no moisture left in them. This will ensure they stay crispy for a long time.
Prep the condiments. Getting the condiments together is the kind of fiddly thing that I hate dealing with on the day I'm busy serving guests. So I prep the condiments the day before and put them in little bowls/ramekins, put them on a plate, then wrap the whole thing and refrigerate. Then you just bring the whole plate out when ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe using boneless chicken?
Yes. I recommend you to use dark meat, cut into chunky pieces, then let them braise in the broth until they are fork tender. I would then use unsalted or low sodium chicken stock instead of water to make up for the lack of bones. I don't recommend using chicken breast for this.
How can I make khao soi using other kinds of meat?
You can substitute the chicken with any other meats that can be braised. Stew-friendly beef cuts such as beef shank or chuck would work, cut in smaller pieces, but you will need to extend the cooking time accordingly. You can also use pork butt, though khao soi pork is less common in Thailand.
Can I make a vegan khao soi?
Yes. I would substitute the water with a good vegetable stock, then use mushrooms of your choice and tofu and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Frozen tofu would be excellent in this as it can absorb more flavour.
Khao soi ข้าวซอย is a northern Thai noodle soup with egg noodles served in a coconut milk based curry broth and topped with crispy deep fried noodles. It's a dish that will impress!
Smash the cardamom pods with a pestle or something heavy and take out the seeds; place the seeds into a medium dry skillet. Add the coriander seeds and toast over high heat, moving them constantly, until the coriander seeds darken slightly. Remove and set aside.
2 pods black cardamom, 1.5 tablespoon coriander seeds
In the same skillet over high heat, place the ginger and turmeric slices down and let them sear until they're slightly charred, this will take 2-3 minutes. Then flip and char the other side and remove from the pan. (See video for what all this charring should look like.)
0.75 oz ginger, 1.5 inch fresh turmeric (about 5 g)
In the same skillet over high heat, place the sliced shallots and let them sear until charred spots form; this will take just a few seconds. Then stir the shallots and let them char a bit more, then remove from the pan.
½ cup shallots
Remove the stems from dried chilies and use scissors to cut them into chunks, pouring out the seeds as you cut them, but no need to get every seed out. Add the chilies to a coffee/spice grinder along with the black cardamom and coriander seeds and grind into a powder, remove and set aside.
0.75 oz mild dried chilies
In a mortar and pestle, pound the ginger and turmeric slices into a fine paste. Then add the shallots and the coarse salt and pound into a fine paste. Once the mixture starts to get wet and slippery, add some of the ground spices to help absorb moisture, which will make it easier to grind.Once you've got a fine paste, add any remaining dried spices and pound just to mix.
1 teaspoon coarse salt
For the Curry Broth
In a medium pot, add ½ cup (120 ml) of the coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir to dissolve, then keep stirring for a few minutes until the mixture is very thick and coconut oil starts to sizzle around the edges of the paste. (If the paste is very thick and the coconut oil has not sizzled, this is okay, you can move on.)
1 ½ cups coconut milk, 1 batch khao soi curry paste
Add the remaining coconut milk and stir to dissolve the curry paste. Then add water, soy sauce, black soy sauce, sugar, and the chicken drumsticks. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and let simmer gently for about 40 minutes or until the drumsticks are fork tender. While the chicken is simmering, make the crispy noodles and prep the condiments.*Keep the simmer gentle as we do not want the soup to reduce too much.
Once the chicken is done, taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce or salt if needed (I love adding fish sauce). Remember to make the broth strongly seasoned as it will be diluted slightly once noodles are added. If it has become salty from reducing too much, you can simply add more water.
2-3 teaspoons fish sauce
For the Crispy Fried Noodles
Take 3 oz (85 g) of the noodles for frying. Loosen them and shake off excess flour, then use scissors to cut them a few times so they are about 4 inches long.
Heat about 2" of frying oil in a wide pot or wok to 350°F (175 °C).
Turn the heat down to medium-low and add a SMALL handful of noodles (they will expand A LOT) into the oil and press the noodles down as they fry to submerge them. Fry until the noodles are golden brown AND the bubbling is almost gone. Remove and drain on a paper towel and repeat with the remaining noodles. Tip: If you've put in too many noodles and they cannot be submerged, you'll need to flip them halfway through to fry the top. *No bubbling means noodles are crispy so you want to wait until the bubbles are almost gone before you take them out. If the noodles are browning faster than the bubbles can slow down, your heat is too high.
12 oz flat fresh egg noodles (also known as wonton noodles)
For the Fried Chili Flakes (if using)
Add any amount of spicy chili flakes to a small pot and add just enough neutral flavoured oil so the chili flakes look like wet sand.
Turn the heat on medium low and keep stirring until the chilies start to darken and smell smoky - just a few minutes. Transfer into a small bowl immediately to stop the cooking.
Assembly
Bring a large pot of water to a full boil on high heat. Meanwhile, loosen the noodles and shake off any excess flour.
Once the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook until they are done - this will vary from brand to brand so if you're not sure, keep checking them every minute or so. (As a reference, the flat wonton noodles shown in the video take 3 minutes.)
While the noodles are cooking, and if you're cooking multiple servings, prepare a mixing bowl for the cooked noodles to go into, and add about a tablespoon of oil into the bowl to help noodles separate. (If you have garlic oil, this is a great place to use it!)
Use a slotted skimmer to fish the noodles out, shake off excess water, and add them into your bowl with oil. Toss the noodles in the oil, then divide the noodles into serving bowls.
Place 1 to 2 chicken drumsticks into each bowl, then ladle the hot curry broth over them - the broth is quite rich so you don't need much broth. For an extra flare, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk on top which will make it look prettier and adds a little more richness. Top with a handful of the crunchy noodles and some chopped cilantro if desired, then serve immediately with all the condiments.
Chopped cilantro and/or green onions for garnish, 1 lime, ¼ cup chopped shallots or red onion, Fried chili flakes, ½ cup chopped pickled mustard greens
Video
Notes
You can also use an immersion blender to make the curry paste as shown in my red curry paste recipe, but you will need to double the recipe to make it blend properly. Extra curry paste can be frozen for months.
Some people prefer a richer khao soi, and an easy way to do this is to drizzle a little extra coconut milk for on top (1-2 tablespoon per serving). The extra drizzle also makes for a prettier presentation!
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/kao-soi/feed/54Thai Breakfast Rice Soup with Shrimp (Khao Tom Goong)
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/kao-tom-goong/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/kao-tom-goong/#commentsFri, 29 Dec 2017 14:00:55 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=5717We don't have many breakfast-specific dishes in Thailand, but of the few we do have, kao tom (aka khao tom) is an absolute classic. You can think of kao tom as the Thai sister of congee. Instead of being porridge-like with the rice grains broken down, it's more of a brothy soup with the rice […]
We don't have many breakfast-specific dishes in Thailand, but of the few we do have, kao tom (aka khao tom) is an absolute classic. You can think of kao tom as the Thai sister of congee. Instead of being porridge-like with the rice grains broken down, it's more of a brothy soup with the rice still in whole grains. It's one of the most comforting dishes Thailand has to offer, and a staple in Thai breakfast buffets in hotels.
At the basic level it's simply jasmine rice added to a flavourful broth. The components can be prepped ahead, and then comes morning time it takes just a few minutes to come together!
Watch The Full Video Tutorial!
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
Ingredients and Notes
Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe and some important notes about them. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.
Pork stock or chicken stock, unsalted. In Thailand this would most likely be pork stock, so use that if you want to recreate the exact Thai version, but chicken stock would also be just fine. For the right flavour, homemade Thai style stock is best. Here are my recipes for Thai style pork stock and chicken stock.
Garlic
White peppercorns
Cilantro stems or cilantro roots
Shrimp, cut into small chunks, plus a few extra whole ones for garnish if you so desire.
Cooked jasmine rice, if you have had trouble cooking jasmine rice, see my post here on how to cook perfect rice without a rice cooker. Having said that, this recipe would work perfectly with rice that you might have accidentally overcooked or under cooked, it's a great way to use it up!
Optional Condiments
Fried garlic & garlic oil, this is made simply by frying garlic in oil. It takes less than 10 minutes to make and it keeps well so you just have to make it once. I always keep a stash in my fridge as we use it to finish all kinds of dishes, especially noodle soups. See my fried garlic recipe here. *You can buy fried garlic from Asian stores, but you won't get the garlic oil which is arguably the more flavourful part!
Green onion and/or cilantro, for some greenery 🙂
Chinese preserved cabbage (optional), this is called tang chai in Thai and it is salty, crunchy bits of preserved (salted) cabbage. It is okay to omit this as it's hard to find, it just adds salty bits to the soup which is nice.
Extra ground white pepper, to taste.
How to Make Thai Breakfast Rice Soup with Shrimp (Kao Tom Goong)
Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.
Pound white peppercorns until fine, then add garlic and cilantro stem/roots and pound until fine.
Add half of the garlic mixture to the small pieces of shrimp and mix well.
Saute the small pieces of shrimp in a pan with a little bit of oil just until it's cooked through.
If you're not using a nonstick pan and there is some bits of herbs stuck to the pan, deglaze the pan with a splash of stock to release the tasty bits of herbs. Then remove from pan and set aside.
If using whole garnish shrimp, sear the whole shrimp over medium high heat until browned and cooked through, set aside.
Bring the stock to a boil in a pot, add the other half of the garlic paste and simmer for one minute. Then season the broth with fish sauce and soy sauce, then taste and adjust seasoning.
When ready to serve, bring the broth to a boil then add the rice and the shrimp. Bring the soup back to a simmer, and immediately turn off the heat (if you let this simmer for a long time the rice will swell up and absorb too much stock).
Serve immediately, if you let this sit, the rice will continue to absorb liquid. Ladle into a bowl, and top with all the condiments as desired. Enjoy!
Advance Prep Tip
If you're not an early bird and need breakfast to be quick, it's totally doable! Once components are prepped, it takes just minutes to get it on the table. You can even prepare it for the week. Here's what to do:
Up to a week ahead, cook the rice, the broth, the shrimp, and the fried garlic and keep them in the fridge (in separate containers). Comes time to eat, bring the broth to a boil, and while you wait you can chop up the cilantro/green onions and set the table.
Once the broth boils, add the rice and the shrimp and let it heat up thoroughly for a few minutes, et voila! Gourmet Thai breakfast in minutes!
A classic Thai breakfast is khao tom, or rice soup. Comforting and satisfying, it's the perfect way to start the day. Once components are prepped in advance, the soup comes together in just a few minutes. This version uses shrimp, but chicken can be used instead.
We can email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
Pound white peppercorns until fine, then add garlic and cilantro stem/roots and pound until fine. Add half of this paste to your small pieces of shrimp and mix well.
Saute the small pieces of shrimp in a pan with a little bit of oil just until it's cooked through. Deglaze the pan with some stock as needed and scrape any bits of herb stuck to the bottom. Remove from pan and set aside.
If using whole garnish shrimp, sear the whole shrimp over medium high heat until browned and cooked through, set aside.
Bring the stock to a boil in a pot, add the other half of the herb paste and simmer for one minute.
Season with fish sauce and soy sauce, then taste and adjust seasoning.
When ready to serve, bring the broth to a boil over high heat then add the rice and the shrimp. Bring the soup back to a simmer, and immediately turn off the heat (if you let this simmer for a long time the rice will swell up and absorb too much stock).
Serve immediately, if you let this sit, the rice will continue to absorb liquid. Ladle into a bowl, and top with all the condiments as desired. Enjoy!
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/kao-tom-goong/feed/20Thai 5-Spice Egg & Pork Belly Stew (Kai Palo) - Instant Pot or Stovetop
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https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/kai-palo/#commentsFri, 25 Oct 2019 13:00:10 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=7195Growing up in Thailand, kai palo is one of my favourite dishes. And I would be willing to bet that many Thai people would say that it's their childhood faves too. Hard boiled eggs and tender pork belly are simmered in a sweet-salty five-spice broth...how could any kid not like it! It was a staple […]
Growing up in Thailand, kai palo is one of my favourite dishes. And I would be willing to bet that many Thai people would say that it's their childhood faves too. Hard boiled eggs and tender pork belly are simmered in a sweet-salty five-spice broth...how could any kid not like it! It was a staple at my school cafeteria, and a classic in many cafeterias and food courts around the country.
What is Kai Palo?
Kai means eggs, and palo means five-spice. Kai palo is a stew made from hard boiled eggs, pork belly, and tofu puffs in a rich and aromatic five-spice broth. It is a great example of Chinese influence on Thai cuisine because the key ingredients are ones that Chinese immigrants brought into Thailand: five spice, tofu, and soy sauce. In fact, the Chinese have a very similar dish that's probably the precursor of this dish!
In Thailand, kai palo is a humble dish so you won't find it in fancy restaurants. People make it at home, or you will find it in cafeterias and food courts. Also, anywhere kids go, you'll find kai palo because kids just love the sweet-salty flavour of this dish!
Watch The Full Video Tutorial!
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
Ingredients and Notes
Here are all the ingredients you'll need and some important notes about them. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.
Note: It is best to make this stew one day it advance, or aim to finish it at minimum 30 minutes before serving. The eggs will have time to absorb more flavour the longer you let them sit.
Spice Bag
Cinnamon sticks
Cloves
Star anise
Coriander seeds
Sichuan peppercorns
Cilantro roots or cilantro stems
Cheesecloth, or use premade spice infusion bag which you can find at many Chinese grocery stores.
Note: If you have five spice powder already on hand, you can make a shortcut version by simply adding the powder to the broth. Use 1 ½ tablespoons of five spice powder for this recipe.
The Stew
Pork belly, if you want a leaner dish you can also use pork shoulder.
Salt
Palm sugar, or sub brown sugar. Dark or light brown sugar will work here.
Unsalted pork or chicken stock, storebought is fine, or you can use my homemade pork stock or chicken stock recipes.
Black soy sauce or dark soy sauce, this is added to get the rich dark colour iconic of this soup. Thai black soy sauce is less salty than Chinese dark soy sauce, so if using Chinese dark soy, you may want to hold back on the regular soy sauce a bit.
White pepper, ground
Garlic, crushed
Eggs, you can add as many as you like here, but I suggest 1-2 per person.
Tofu puffs, halved. You can buy tofu puffs at Chinese grocery stores. They are tofu that have been fried and has an airy interior which absorbs sauce exceptionally well.
Jasmine rice for serving
How to Make Five-Spice Eggs and Pork Belly Stew (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.
Crush cinnamon sticks just until they break into smaller pieces. Toast all the spices in a dry saute pan on medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the coriander seeds start to darken slightly. Remove from heat and place in cheesecloth or spice infusion bag along with cilantro stems/roots.
In a large pot or in the Instant Pot, add palm sugar and melt over medium high heat. Once melted, keep stirring until it turns a dark caramel colour.
Immediately add the stock to stop the sugar from cooking. Then add soy sauce, Golden Mountain sauce, oyster sauce, black/dark soy sauce, and salt.
Add the spice bag, white pepper, and crushed garlic and bring to a boil.
Add the pork belly and simmer gently for 2 - 2.5 hours, loosely covered, until the pork is fork-tender. If using an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, then natural release for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the eggs in boiling water for 8 minutes, then cool and peel. Once the pork is fork tender, add the hard boiled eggs.
Add the tofu puffs and simmer for another 8 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Let the stew sit for at least 30 minutes before serving, and preferably one day in advance so the eggs can have a chance to absorb the flavour. Enjoy!
Tip for Extra Flavour: Sear the pork
Though not traditionally done, searing the pork to get nice browning on the surface can add a lovely robust flavour to the soup. It's a simple step:
Toss pork belly in the ½ teaspoon salt. Heat the pot you're using the make the stew over high heat, then add a little oil just to coat the bottom and sear the pork until browned on at least two sides (sear 4 sides if you've got the patience).
Remove the pork and pour off any excess fat. Then continue with the recipe as usual - so the next step would be to caramelize the sugar which you can do in this pot without washing.
A Note on Using the Instant Pot
This is a great dish to make in the Instant Pot because it can save a lot of cooking time without affecting the end result. While you can do the whole thing in the IP, I prefer to start it stovetop and transfer after all the liquids go in because it's much faster to caramelize the sugar on the stove.
The only modification I made for the IP is to use a bit less stock since the stew will not reduce at all in the IP.
How to Get Flavourful But Not Overcooked Eggs
Typical kai palo in Thailand features hard boiled eggs that are simmered in the soup for upwards of 30 minutes. This is to allow the eggs to absorb the flavour of the broth, but it also results in what Westerners would consider "overcooked" eggs—rubbery whites and grey ring around the yolks. For Thai people, there's nothing wrong with this; it is an expected characteristic.
However, I personally prefer not-overcooked eggs, so my technique is cooking the eggs just until they're done but letting them sit in the stew overnight before serving. If you don't have time to do overnight, give them at least 30 minutes. Any less than that and you're not doing the eggs justice!
A popular stew in Thailand that is a favourite amongst kids and adults alike. Tender braised pork belly and hard boiled eggs that have absorbed the flavourful five-spice broth. Perfect with jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Note: It is best to make this stew one day it advance, or aim to finish it at minimum 30 minutes before serving. The eggs will have time to absorb more flavour the longer you let them sit.
Spice Bag
2 cinnamon sticks (about 8 inches total)
8 pc cloves
2 pc star anise
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp sichuan peppercorns
3 cilantro roots or 10 cilantro stems
A piece of cheesecloth big enough to make a spice bag, or use premade bag as shown in the video
Note: If you have five spice powder already on hand, you can make a shortcut version by simply adding the powder to the broth. Start with 1 tablespoon of five spice powder and add more to taste.
The Stew
1½ lb pork belly, 1.5-inch chunks
½-1 teaspoon salt
60g palm sugar (⅓ cup packed)
5 cups unsalted pork or chicken stock, 4 cups if using IP
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Golden Mountain Sauce, or sub soy sauce (see Guide to Soy Sauce video)
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
2-3 teaspoon black soy sauce or dark soy sauce
½ tsp white pepper, ground
4 cloves garlic, crushed
6-8 eggs (as many as you like, about 1-2 per person)
We can email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
Crush cinnamon sticks just until they break into smaller pieces, then add them to a dry saute pan along with star anise, cloves, coriander seed and Sichuan peppercorns.
Toast over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the coriander seeds start to darken slightly. Remove from heat and place on the cheesecloth or spice bag.
Add cilantro stems or roots then tie the cheesecloth to make a bag.
Stovetop Method
Optional step for extra flavour if you have time: In a heavy-bottomed pot, add a little oil to coat the bottom then heat on high. Toss pork belly in ½ teaspoon salt, then sear until browned on at least two sides. Remove and set aside. Pour off any excess fat collected in the pot but do not wash the pot.
In the same pot add palm sugar and melt over medium high heat. Once melted, keep stirring until it turns a dark caramel colour. Immediately add stock to stop the cooking; the sugar will harden, this is okay.
Add soy sauce, Golden Mountain sauce, oyster sauce, black/dark soy sauce, white pepper, garlic and the spice bag. If you didn't sear the pork, add the ½ teaspoon salt at this stage.
Add the pork and simmer gently for 2 - 2.5 hours, loosely covered, until the pork is fork-tender.
Meanwhile, cook the eggs in boiling water for 8 minutes. Once done place in a bowl of cold water to cool. Peel the eggs; be gentle as the yolks are still soft.
Once pork is done, add eggs and tofu puffs and simmer another 8 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Let the stew sit for at least 30 minutes before serving, and preferably one day in advance so the eggs can have a chance to absorb the flavour.
Serve with jasmine rice. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Method
Note: You can do the whole thing in the IP, but I recommend starting stovetop because it will be much faster. But if using IP for the entire process, do the first part on saute mode on high.
Optional step for extra flavour if you have time: In a heavy-bottomed pot, add a little oil to coat the bottom then heat on high. Toss pork belly in ½ teaspoon salt, then sear until browned on at least two sides. Remove and set aside. Pour off any excess fat collected in the pot but do not wash the pot.
In the same pot add palm sugar and melt over medium high heat. Once melted, keep stirring until it turns a dark caramel colour. Immediately add half of the stock to stop the cooking; the sugar will harden, this is okay.
Add soy sauce, Golden Mountain sauce, oyster sauce, black/dark soy sauce, white pepper, garlic and the spice bag. If you didn't sear the pork, add the ½ teaspoon salt at this stage. Bring to a boil then transfer to the IP.
Add the pork into the IP and also the remaining stock, then cook on "pressure cook" mode on "high" for 20 minutes. Let it natural release for a minimum of 15 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure. You can place a wet cold towel on the metal part of the lid to help speed up the cooling down process.
Meanwhile, cook eggs in boiling water for 8 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl of cold water. Peel the eggs; be gentle as the yolks are still soft.
Once pork is done, open the IP lid and add eggs and tofu puffs. Turn the IP on "saute" mode on "medium," then simmer the eggs and tofu for another 8 minutes (start timing from when the soup starts to bubble).
Remove the inner pot from the IP, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, and let the stew sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. I remove the inner pot because I found that when I let the soup sit in the IP, even with the machine off the heat retention is too high and the eggs continued to overcook.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/kai-palo/feed/16Thai Glass Noodle Soup: My Weekly Staple (Gaeng Jued)
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/gaeng-jued/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/gaeng-jued/#commentsFri, 01 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=18243This comforting soup is the epitome of simple Thai home cooking. It's a soup that just about every Thai family makes regularly, mine included, and especially if they have kids. It's called gaeng jued which literally means "bland curry," but it is anything but bland! It's named that way because it's one of the few Thai […]
This comforting soup is the epitome of simple Thai home cooking. It's a soup that just about every Thai family makes regularly, mine included, and especially if they have kids. It's called gaeng jued which literally means "bland curry," but it is anything but bland! It's named that way because it's one of the few Thai soups that's not spicy at all, so it is named "bland" to contrast the other spicier curries.
It is a comforting clear soup that is simple but so flavourful, and I'm going to make this version with glass noodles; which makes this gaeng jued woon sen. I'm also going to add egg tofu and napa cabbage, but you can modify this endlessly, and I'll give you all the different options in the post.
I make some version of this soup almost weekly because it is a staple of my son's diet, and a great way to use up veggies in the fridge!
What is Gaeng Jued แกงจืด?
This glass noodle soup is a very common version of a gaeng jued, which is a family of clear soups using pork broth or chicken broth as the base. It's seasoned simply with fish sauce and soy sauce, and it goes well with just about anything, making it a very popular "wet element" of a Thai meal. (For more on elements of a well-balanced Thai meal, see my YouTube video here)
Though this version is a noodle soup, it isn't something you eat by itself like you would ramen or pho. Rather it is shared in a family style meal, and yes, with rice! If you want to learn about how to eat a Thai meal like a Thai, here's a video all about that :).
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients, and I've included important notes on some of them. While you can add any protein or vegetables to a gaeng jued in theory, there are some tried and true options that people tend to stick to, and we'll go over that below. For amounts, see the recipe card below.
Chinese style chopped pork spare ribs or chicken wings drumettes. Pork is the default for gaeng jued, but if you don't eat pork, chicken will also do. You can find the pork spare ribs at any Chinese grocery stores’ meat department. (See note on this below.)
Daikon or onion, peeled and large-diced, optional; though these sweeten the broth and makes the soup extra delicious.
Cilantro stems or cilantro roots if you have them. Like the daikon, this is an optional aromatic for the broth.
Dried glass noodles, soaked in room temp water for about 7 minutes until softened, then cut with scissors in half or thirds to shorten. Use glass noodles made from 100% mung bean starch such as Pine Brand.
Egg tofu, or regular soft tofu.
Napa cabbage, bite-sized pieces.
Chopped cilantro and/or green onions
Fried garlic and garlic oil for topping, optional but highly recommended. You make this simply by frying chopped garlic in oil over low heat, so if you have a few extra minutes of time it's worth making, and you can use it on anything to make things garlicky! Instructions on how to make this is in the recipe card.
A note on pork ribs and wings: The reason I chose these as the protein is because they are a 2-in-1 deal; we get the meat and bones all in one package. This means that we can start the soup with plain water, and you'll end up with a rich, flavorful stock by the end. A good stock is the heart and soul of this soup, so this is very important!
If you already have unsalted homemade pork stockor chicken stock to start with, you can use it instead of water, and then instead of the ribs/wings you can simply make more of the meatballs (below).
Important: I encourage you to not use store bought, boxed chicken broth for this recipe. Those are made for Western cuisines, so the flavour is different, and they are typically not very full-bodied. If anything, I'd rather you use store bought bone broth with a relatively neutral flavour.
Pork Meatballs
The simple pork meatballs are the most popular protein option for Kang too. If you are not using ribs or wings because you have a good stock to start, then you'd want to make more of the meatballs, about 1.5X the recipe.
Ground pork or ground chicken, preferably not lean.
Soy sauce
Fish sauce
Sugar
Garlic, finely grated, optional. I don't usually bother with the garlic because I make this soup so much, so I try to simplify the process; but it's a nice touch so I will add it if making a special one for guests.
A few cracks of freshly ground white pepper, black pepper will also work.
Other Protein and Vegetable Options
This soup is not only tasty and easy, it is so very modifiable! Here are some options for other fresh vegetables and proteins you can try:
Vegetables:
Napa cabbage. This is by far the most common veg for gaeng jued.
Carrots
Asian mushrooms. Enoki, shimedi, wood ear, or fresh shiitake will all work.
Baby corn
Daikon
Cucumber. YES, we cook cucumber regularly in Thai cuisine, and it's great added to soups. Also try this great spicy chicken and cucumber stir fry!
Bok choy, while not super common in Thailand, it is a good soup vegetable if you like it!
Protein:
Pork meatballs. This is by far the most common protein, and in my books this is a must!
Egg tofu. Think soft tofu texture, but made from eggs. It usually comes in a tube, and when I was a kid it was the only kind of tofu I would eat. It is more flavourful than soy tofu, so something to try if regular tofu is not your thing.
Soft tofu. Always soft for gaeng jued, and I might allow medium-firm, but firm tofu really doesn't work well!
Premade Asian meatballs. These are the bouncy meatballs you find in pho. Definitely makes life easy!
Thai omelette. YES we actually put omelette into gaeng jued, and the omelette soaks up broth like a sponge. Thai omelettes are extremely easy to make, so check out my basic Thai omelette recipe here.
What about seafood or pieces of sliced meats, like sliced chicken breast? Those are not commonly added in Thailand, but there's no reason why you couldn't add them. Just a word of warning, because seafood and lean meats overcook quickly, they should be the last thing you add to the soup, and they should only cook for a few minutes before serving.
Noodles:
Glass noodles. That's it. What, you thought I was going to say you can use rice noodles or egg noodles? Nope. glass noodles are the only noodles we use in gaeng jued.
See, glass noodles, also known as mung bean noodles, have this magical ability to remain intact in soup for days. They never swell and mush the way rice or wheat noodles do. And because this soup is meant to be served family style, the noodles need to last the length of a shared meal, and maybe even the next few days if you have leftovers. Glass noodles will remain intact even reheated days later.
Rice or wheat noodles, on the other hand, once added to soup, need to be consumed asap or they will turn to mush. So they are better suited for noodle soups that are meant to be eaten on their own in one sitting, such as boat noodles or Thai chicken noodle soup.
How To Make Gaeng Jued
Here's a bird's eye view of how to make this recipe, so you get an idea of what the process involves. The full details are in the recipe card below. I also encourage you to watch the video tutorial to ensure success!
Add the ribs or the wings to a pot, cover with water and season with fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper.
Let simmer for 5-10 minutes, until you see a bunch of foam gathered on top, and then skim it off.
Add cilantro stems and daikon and loosely cover the pot so it doesn’t reduce too much. Simmer until the meat is fork tender; wings will take a total of 20 mins, and the ribs 30-40 mins depending on the size.
Meanwhile, prep your other ingredients and make the meatballs by combining all ingredients together and use your hand to knead the mixture until well combined.
Once the ribs/wings are tender, use 2 teaspoons and flick bite-sized chunks of meatballs into the soup.
After the meatballs are all added, allow the soup to come back to a boil, and then add the napa cabbage and egg tofu.
Once the soup comes back to a boil, add the glass noodles and cook for 3 mins.
Turn off the heat and taste and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce or fish sauce as needed, then finish it off with green onions and/or cilantro, and fried garlic and garlic oil.
A comforting-yet-light soup with a flavourful rich broth. This classic Thai recipe is a kid-friendly soup that's beloved by adults as well. Glass noodles, napa cabbage and egg tofu can all be subbed out for whatever you'd like!
If you’re using pork ribs, go through them to find ones that are meaty, and cut them down so the meaty part isn’t more than about ½-inch thick. This is just to speed up the cooking; you can leave them chunky if you have time to let them cook longer.
12 oz Chinese-style chopped pork spare ribs or chicken wings drumettes
Add the ribs or the wings to a pot, cover with water and season with fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Let that simmer for 5-10 minutes, just until you see a bunch of foam gathered on top, and then skim it off.
5 cups water, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Add cilantro stems and daikon and loosely cover the pot so it doesn’t reduce too much. Let this simmer until the meat is fork tender, wings will take a total of 20 mins, and the ribs 30-40 mins depending on the size.
1 2-inch section daikon or ¼ onion, 5-6 cilantro stems
Meanwhile soak the glass noodles in room temp water for at least 7 minutes to soften, then drain and cut into 2-3 sections. (If you want to add fried garlic, now would be a good time to make it, recipe below.)
1.4 oz dried glass noodles
Make the meatballs by combining all ingredients together and use your hand to knead the mixture until well combined.
½ lb ground pork or chicken, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, ¾ teaspoon sugar, Few cracks of freshly ground white pepper
Once the ribs/wings are done simmering, use 2 spoons to scoop and flick bite-sized chunks of meatballs into the soup.
After the meatballs are all added, allow the soup to come back to a boil if it has stopped, and then add the napa cabbage and egg tofu, then wait for the soup to come back to a boil. Then add the glass noodles and cook for 3 mins.
4 cups 160 g napa cabbage, bite-sized pieces, 250 g egg tofu
Taste and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce or fish sauce as needed, then finish it off with green onions and/or cilantro. Top with fried garlic to finish. This soup is typically served with rice, but if you want to eat it by itself, that's fine too!
Chopped cilantro and/or green onions, Fried garlic and garlic oil for topping
For the Fried Garlic and Garlic Oil
Chop the garlic just until the pieces are no bigger than ⅛-inch, but don't mince it finely.
1 head garlic
Add the oil to a small pot, then put one piece of garlic in it and turn the heat to medium. Once the piece of garlic is bubbling, add the rest of the garlic then turn the heat down to medium low.
⅓ cup neutral oil
Stir the garlic until the pieces are a light golden (not brown!) and the bubbling has mostly subsided. Off the heat and drain using a metal sieve. Keep the garlic and the garlic oil in separate air-tight containers, and store them in the fridge.
Video
Notes
We're starting the soup by simmering pork spare ribs or wings in plain water, which will turn the water into a rich broth by the end. If you already have unsalted homemade pork stock or chicken stock to start, then you can use 4 cups of the stock instead of water, omit the ribs/wings, and then increase the amount of meatballs by 1.5 times. You can find pork spare ribs cut into small chunks (About 1.5-inch pieces) at any Chinese grocery stores’ meat departments.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/gaeng-jued/feed/22Aunty's Best Vietnamese Pho Recipe
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/beef-pho/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/beef-pho/#commentsFri, 21 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=16603I've had many bowls of pho in my life, and then I had the one that blew everything else out of the water. It was made by Aunty Jacqueline, my mother in law's childhood friend from Vietnam where the two of them grew up together. Her beef pho (pho bo) recipe was so much richer, […]
]]>I've had many bowls of pho in my life, and then I had the one that blew everything else out of the water. It was made by Aunty Jacqueline, my mother in law's childhood friend from Vietnam where the two of them grew up together. Her beef pho (pho bo) recipe was so much richer, more flavourful and fragrant than everything I've had from a Vietnamese restaurant here.
Now in her 70's, Auntry Jacqueline has been known for her pho bo for decades, but she was the only person who knew how to make it; so I knew I had to preserve it. To my delight, she was happy to share ... and so I present to you, "Aunty Jacqueline's legendary beef pho" recipe!
Pho is a noodle soup that is arguably the "national dish" of Vietnam; or at least it is the most well known dish from the cuisine. While you can make pho with different kinds of meat, the classic version is made with beef, or phở bò.
The version I'm sharing here uses a few different kinds of beef, but the one that makes a real difference is oxtail. Rich in bone marrow and connective tissue, oxtail is responsible for the ultra rich beef broth. You can omit it, of course, but do follow my suggestions for substitutions to make sure you're not missing out on the richness!
Ingredients
There are two main components to making pho: the beef broth, and all the stuff that goes into your bowl. For amounts and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
Ingredients for pho broth
Pho Broth Ingredients
Beef bones: joint or marrow bones preferred, as cartilage and marrow make for a rich, full-bodied broth. I get my beef bones from a Korean grocery store; and in general Korean stores have a good supply of beef cuts and bones.
Stewing beef: such as brisket or chuck, which will be stewed until tender right in the broth.
Oxtail: aside from the marrow and connective tissue that results in a delicious broth, oxtail meat is also one of the best cuts for stew. If omitting, use more bones and more stew beef.
Fresh ginger
Onion
Daikon: I add daikon to all the stocks I make because it makes the soup naturally sweet. It's a must-have veg in Thailand when making any stock or broth!
Cinnamon stick
Green cardamom
Star anise
Coriander seeds
Black cardamom: these look like oversized green cardamom pods, but the smell couldn't be any more different. It has an aroma reminiscent of leather and smoke. A little goes a long way, and it is beautiful when done right. We also use black cardamom in Thai khao soi!
Salt
Rock sugar: this is the traditional sugar used, but granulated sugar will work just fine and will not make a difference in this recipe (they are the same sugar compound, just in different forms!)
Beef stock powder: a little bit of "fairy dust" that makes this extra special. Aunty Jacqueline swears by Dasida brand which she's been using for over 10 years, but other brands are also okay I'm sure. If you're anti-MSG, you can leave it out and add a little more fish sauce and sugar, but to be honest pho just won't taste like pho without a little MSG magic 😉
Dry rice noodles: I use Erawan brand, size small. They need to be rehydrated for 20-30 minutes in room temp water until they turn an opaque white and are fully pliable. Drain after soaking as you don't want to over soak them! Size medium will also work if needed, but they will take up to an hour to soak.
Bean sprouts
Raw beef slices: (Pictured under the broth ingredients by mistake) This will be added raw to your pho bowl, and it will cook from the heat of the broth. Because the beef needs to be very thin, I recommend buying pre-sliced beef which you can get from Asian supermarkets in the "hot pot" section. If you're going to manually slice, do it when the beef is partially frozen as it'll be easier. Choose any cut of beef that fits your budget here; if it's sliced thin enough it won't be chewy. I used rib eye in my video but sirloin steak also works fine.
Asian style beef meatballs (optional): (not pictured) I didn't use this in my bowl, but they're a classic if you like them. Buy them frozen or fresh at Asian supermarkets, or here's a homemade Asian pork meatballs recipe where you can simply substitute beef instead.
Lime wedges: Technically optional but I think a little bit of acidity really makes a difference!
White or yellow onion, thinly sliced: Soak the sliced onion in cold water and it'll soften their pungency and make them crisper.
Fresh herbs - choose any of the following: green onions, cilantro, Thai basil, sawtooth coriander.
Hoisin sauce and/or sriracha hot sauce: I don't think these are traditional and I don't add them, but wanted to mention them, as in N. America they are standard pho condiments. The hoisin sauce is used to dip your meat in, and the sriracha can be used as a dip or can be added to your bowl for a little heat.
Tools
There are a few tools you'll need to make pho:
Large stock pot - a minimum of 7 qt in volume; 8 quart is better
Noodle strainer or a metal sieve for cooking the noodles
Soup infusion bags or cheesecloth to wrap the toasted spices
Fine mesh skimmer for skimming scum
How to Make Beef Pho
Here's a bird's eye view of the process, for full instructions, see the recipe card below; and if it's your first time I highly recommend watching the video tutorial first as it'll make a lot more sense once you see it put together!
Wash the bones and meat and place in the stock pot. Cover with 4L of water and bring to a simmer.
Broil the onion and ginger for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are charred. Slice the broiled ginger into a few pieces.
Toast the cinnamon stick, star anise, black cardamom, and green cardamom in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until the green cardamom pods brown slightly. Crush the cardamom pods until they break open.
Reduce the heat to medium and toast the coriander seeds.
Place all the spices in a soup infusion bag or wrap them in cheesecloth.
Add the salt, sugar and beef stock powder to the broth. Simmer gently (don’t let it boil) for 1 hour.
Skim off the scum and fat once a bunch has collected on the surface.
Add the onion, ginger, spice bag, and daikon. Simmer for at least 2-2.5 more hours, or however long it takes for the largest piece of meat or oxtail to be fork tender.
Soak noodles in room temp water for 20-30 minutes until fully pliable (don't over soak). Drain and separate into portions and place each portion into their own serving bowl.
Once the broth is done, remove the spice bag, ginger, onion, and bones and discard. Pick off any meat or tendon attached to the bones as they're delicious!
Final seasoning - add all of the fish sauce, then taste and add hot water as needed until it is no longer too salty. If you find that it actually needs more fish sauce, go ahead and add more fish sauce. You can also add more sugar.
Slice the brisket into thin slices. Cut the daikon into smaller pieces. Leave the oxtail in the broth.
Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for 5 seconds and fish them out with a slotted spoon or skimmer and place on a serving plate.
Bring the water back to a rolling boil, place a portion of noodles in the noodle strainer and wiggle it in the water for 5 seconds. Place into serving bowl.
Top the noodles with the raw beef slices. Make sure the broth is boiling and ladle it over the beef until the noodles are submerged.
Top the noodles with the oxtail and whatever toppings you like and enjoy immediately!
Is it necessary to blanch the bones for pho broth?
Traditionally the beef bones and all of the stewing beef are first parboiled in water for a few minutes. The water is then discarded, the pot scrubbed clean, and you start making the broth with fresh water. It's a hassle to be sure, but people do it in order to remove "impurities" (a term I take issue with...but that's for another day) and achieve a clearer broth. A clear broth is a desired characteristic of traditional pho.
I have always been skeptical of this practice because having made all kinds of stock all my life, including during my time at Le Cordon Bleu ... and I've never done this. And I always felt my stocks were fine.
So it was a sign of relief when Aunty Jacqueline told me ...
I used to blanch the bones, but it was a hassle, so I wondered if it was necessary! So I tried not doing it, and simply washed my bones and meat under hot tap water, and my broth turned out fine. I couldn't tell the difference. So I haven't done it that way for years.
There is my confirmation. Yay. I took it a step further though and I don't even use hot water because a brief shower of hot tap water isn't going to draw out anything that room temp or warm water doesn't. But let me explain why blanching is not necessary, and why this might have been necessary back in the day.
Achieving Clear Pho Broth
When you boil bones and meats, you'll notice that there is a lot of scum that floats to the top of the broth. These "impurities" are basically coagulated proteins from the beef juices. It's totally edible, but it doesn't make for an appetizing bowl of pho. The parboiling or blanching of the bones and beef removes much of this scum.
Scum or "impurities" naturally floats to the top when you make any kind of stock using meat and bones. A fine mesh skimmer can remove the scum and much of the fat very quickly and easily.
The thing is...you can also just skim off the scum. A fine mesh skimmer makes a few minutes' work of this. Not to mention, even with the parboiling, you'll still have some skimming to do, so it doesn't really save you any steps. And you gotta wonder how much flavour is lost with that initial boil ... maybe it's nothing significant ... but maybe it is?
As you can see in the video, my broth is pretty darn clear by the end of it, so I don't see any reason to make this any more work than it already is to achieve something purely aesthetic.
You might notice that there are some bits of coagulated beef juice floating in the broth that didn't float to the top. This might have been reduced with the blanching step, but if these bits bother you (they don't bother me) you can run the broth through a fine mesh strainer after you're done, and it'll still be more convenient than blanching.
Why blanching might have been needed in the past (my theory)
Traditional cooking methods are rarely done without a good reason, but those reasons may no longer be applicable today. In Thai cuisine, I see other recipes that call for cooking beef in water first before putting it in a final dish. But Western stock recipes never call for this step ... so something is going on here.
My theory is that back in the day, without refrigeration in a hot tropical climate, by the time people get around to cooking beef, (a large animal that takes a long time to butcher and consume), it might eventually have started to smell a bit "off". I know this, because in rural parts of Thailand today meats are still sold without being refrigerated, and I have experienced this "off" smell personally. It hasn't gone bad to the point of making people sick; but it's not smelling fresh anymore.
So the blanching was likely key in getting rid of the "off" smell, which is mostly on the surface of the beef. This smell also would've affected the flavor of the broth, so this step was important. The impurities (the scum) that were removed in the process was a bonus, but because it is the visible part, it came to represent the "bad stuff" that needed to be removed.
Nowadays with refrigeration our beef no longer smells, but you can still SEE the scum, so the practice stuck. Again, this is my theory, but a pretty sound one if you ask me!
Tips for Advanced Prep
After having made this all in one go for the filming of the YouTube video ... I don't recommend doing it this way! It's much easier to spread the work out over a day, or even a couple of days. Here are some things you can do in advance:
Soak the noodles in advance. Drain and keep the noodles in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. After draining, place the noodles on a tea towel to absorb excess water; you do not want the noodles sitting in a pool of water in the container.
Prepare all of your toppings on a platter the day before or the morning of, so you don't have to mess with a million little things while you're trying to finish your broth. (But don't blanch the bean sprouts until serving time.)
Make the broth in advance and it'll keep for up to 7 days in the fridge. The broth and the beef can also be frozen.
FAQ
Can pho be made in a pressure cooker?
Yes, though experience with other stocks tells me that broths made stovetop vs in an Instant Pot never taste the same, so I prefer stovetop broths. However, it's possible, but I would suggest following an Instant Pot pho recipe as a guide for instructions, and you can use my mix of seasonings and spices instead. I would use slightly less water to account for the lack of evaporation, start with 3 L instead of 4.
Can I use fresh rice noodles instead?
You might have seen bags of fresh rice noodles at the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores. They're usually vacuum sealed in clear plastic bags. This is what noodle vendors would use so they are perfect. Treat them like pre-soaked dried noodles, so you skip the soaking and go straight to blanching. 5 seconds in boiling water should do it, at least to start, and you can adjust as needed.
If you have rice noodles that are already fully cooked (they usually come tossed in oil), a 2 second dunk-and-wiggle in hot water just to warm them up and remove any oil will suffice. These overcook easily so don't let them linger!
Can I omit the oxtail?
If you want to leave out the oxtail, increase the amount of bones and stewing beef by about 30%.
This is the best pho I've ever had anywhere, and it's a signature dish of Aunty Jacqueline, my mother in law's childhood friend. The amount of spices and seasonings are just right, and the broth is super rich and fragrant. It's takes a few hours, but see tips in the blog post for how you can spread out the work!
Wash the bones, oxtail and stewing beef thoroughly under tap water and place into the stock pot. Cover with 4L of water and bring to a simmer. (If the water doesn’t fit in your pot, you can top it up later after it has reduced.)
1.5 lb beef bones, 1 lb brisket or chuck, 1.5 lb oxtail, 4 L water
Place the ginger and the onion halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet, and place under the broiler for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are slightly charred. Slice the broiled ginger lengthwise into a few pieces, or smash it with a pestle until broken.
5 inches ginger, 1 large onion
Toast the spices:Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, black cardamom, and green cardamom into a dry skillet and toast over high heat for a few minutes, moving the pan constantly, until the green cardamom browns slightly. Remove from the pan, then reduce the heat to medium and add the coriander seeds. Move the pan constantly until they darken slightly - this should take less than a minute. Remove from the pan.
1 pod black cardamom, 6 inches cinnamon stick, 3 pods green cardamom, 2 pieces star anise, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
Crush the black and green cardamom pod with a pestle or something heavy until they break open, then place all the spices in a soup infusion bag or wrap them in cheesecloth.
By this time your water should be close to simmering. Add the salt, sugar and beef stock powder and stir briefly. Let the broth simmer gently (don’t let it boil) for 1 hour, skimming off the scum after you see a bunch collected on the surface.
After 1 hour of simmering, do a final skim of the scum, then add the onion, ginger, spice bag, and the daikon. Simmer for at least 2-2.5 more hours, or however long it takes for the largest piece of meat or oxtail to be fork tender. As the broth simmers, top it up with just enough water to keep everything submerged; do not add too much water however or you will dilute the broth.
¾ lb daikon
While the broth is simmering, prepare your pho bowl supplies. Soak noodles in room temp water for 20-30 minutes or until they turn an opaque white and are fully pliable; drain well. Prepare all your other toppings: cut the lime, soak the onion in cold water, and pick your herbs. Keep everything in the fridge until ready to use, and be sure the noodles are in an airtight container so they don't dry out.
1 lb dry rice noodles, ¼ white or yellow onion, 1 lime, Any of these fresh herbs to your liking: green onions, Thai basil, cilantro, sawtooth coriander
Once the broth is done, remove the spice bag, ginger and onion and discard. Remove the bones, and if you see any meat or tendon attached to them, pick them off before you discard the bones as they are delicious!
Remove the brisket, and if serving right away, slice into thin pieces once it’s cool enough to handle then place on a serving platter. If not serving right away, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes to cool it down then refrigerate in a covered container; this will prevent it from drying and turning dark.
Remove the daikon and cut them into smaller pieces and place on the same serving platter as the brisket. Leave the oxtail in the broth.
Final seasoning of the broth: Add all of the fish sauce, and then taste the broth and add more hot water as needed until it is no longer too salty. If you find that it needs more fish sauce rather than more water, go ahead and add more fish sauce or salt. The broth should taste a little too strong right now, because it will be diluted once it goes over the noodles. You can also add a little more sugar if you think it needs it.
4 tablespoon fish sauce
Assembly:
When ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil for blanching the noodles and beansprouts. At the same time, bring the broth to a boil. If serving meatballs, cut them in half and put them in the broth so they can heat up together.Meanwhile, separate the soaked noodles into portions and put these into their own serving bowls. Set out all the toppings for people to garnish their own bowl - that is the lime wedges, Thai basil, onion, green onions and any other herbs.
7 oz beansprouts, 10 pieces Asian style beef meatballs
Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for 5 seconds and use a slotted spoon or skimmer to fish them out and place on a serving plate. Put them out with the rest of the toppings.
Bring the water back to a boil, then cook the noodles. (I recommend watching the video to view the technique). Place a portion of noodles in the strainer and wiggle it in the boiling water for 5 seconds. Lift the noodles out, and to heat the serving bowl, use it to catch the dripping water, then swirl the water around and pour it back out. Put the noodles into the bowl. Repeat with all portions.
Top the noodles with the raw thin-sliced beef, making sure they are not on top of each other. Ladle boiling hot broth over the beef until the noodles are submerged. Place a piece of oxtail and meatballs (if you used them) in the bowl, and then at this point I hand the bowls over to people and let them put their own toppings on. This is so that the noodles don’t have to sit and swell for too long in the kitchen while you garnish everyone’s bowls. It’s also more fun for everyone!
¾ lb thinly sliced hotpot-style beef
Video
Notes
Oxtail makes for a rich broth, and the meat is tender and delicious. If omitting, increase the amount of bones and other beef by about 30%.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/beef-pho/feed/50Thai Chicken Potato Soup ซุปไก่มันฝรั่ง
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/chicken-potato-soup/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/chicken-potato-soup/#commentsFri, 08 Jun 2018 13:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=5878Jump to video! This chicken potato soup was a regular in our household growing up, particularly because it was my brother Eddy's favourite. So as an adult, this is the ultimate nostalgic comfort food for me. It's a light-yet-satisfying soup that is kid-friendly. The ingredients may not sound particularly Thai, and my theory is that […]
This chicken potato soup was a regular in our household growing up, particularly because it was my brother Eddy's favourite. So as an adult, this is the ultimate nostalgic comfort food for me.
It's a light-yet-satisfying soup that is kid-friendly. The ingredients may not sound particularly Thai, and my theory is that it started out as Thai people's attempt to make a Western-style dish using ingredients that are available to us. Because it's so simple and delicious, it became a regular in many families in Thailand!
Ingredients
Ingredients for this chicken soup are very basic, and you might have most of it already! If you don't want to use wings, see my recipe tips before for other suggestions.
1½ lb chicken drumettes (about 15 pieces). Drumettes are much easier to eat in a soup. If you got whole wings, use the flats to make these amazing 3-Ingredient Fish Sauce Fried Wings!
300 g potato, (about 1 medium russet potato). I like the starchy russet potato, but yukon gold or new potatoes will also work.
Half an onion, cut into 1 cm strips
4 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 roma tomatoes
Chopped cilantro or green onions for garnish
Jasmine rice for serving (optional). Yes, despite there being potato in it already, we still have this soup with rice. The potato acts more like a vegetable than a starch here, but it would also be okay to serve the soup on its own.
How to Make Chicken Potato Soup
This soup is pretty straight forward, but if it's your first time I recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success!
Place chicken wings in a flat casserole dish so that the chicken is in one layer, then add fish sauce and toss to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes, or while you prep other ingredients.
In a pot, add the water, onion, garlic, white pepper, soy sauce and bring to a boil.
Add the marinated chicken along with any juices in the bowl. Bring to a simmer and let it cook gently over medium low heat for 15 mins.
Taste the broth and add more salt as needed. You want there to be enough salt in here before adding potatoes so that potatoes can absorb the salt as they cook.
Add the potatoes and simmer for about 10 mins.
Add tomatoes simmer gently for 5 more minutes until the tomatoes are soft but still holding together, and the potatoes are fully cooked.
Do a final taste test and adjust seasoning as needed, then stir in chopped cilantro or green onions and serve. You can serve the soup on its own or with jasmine rice.
Recipe Tips and Variations
This is a simple soup, so it's important to pay attention to details to make sure it is flavourful. Here are some important tips.
I use drumettes because it has a high bone-to-meat ratio. This means that by the time it's done cooking, the plain water will have become a wonderfully rich chicken broth.
If you want to use boneless skinless chicken, you absolutely must use chicken stock instead of water or the soup will not be good. Use dark meat chicken, not breast. I prefer unsalted or low sodium stock, and better yet, use Asian style chicken stock. Here's my chicken stock recipe that you can make and freeze.
You can also use chicken drumsticks. Growing up, we actually used chicken drumsticks, but I switched to drumettes because the higher amount of bones yields a richer broth. If you are using drumsticks, increase the initial simmer to 30 minutes to ensure that they are fork tender by the end.
How to Store Leftovers
This soup keeps for up to a week in the fridge. When reheating, just be mindful not to overheat it as the potatoes might overcook and disintegrate into the soup.
I find the tomatoes tend to breakdown as the soup is reheated, but this isn't a problem as the tomatoes help flavour the broth!
Watch The Full Video Tutorial!
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
We can email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
Place chicken wings in a flat casserole dish so that the chicken is in one layer, then add fish sauce and toss to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes, or while you prep other ingredients.
In a pot, add water, onion, garlic, white pepper, soy sauce and bring to a boil.
Add the marinated chicken along with any juices in the bowl. Bring to a simmer and let it cook gently for 15 mins.
Taste the broth and add more salt as needed.
Add potatoes and simmer for about 10 mins until the potatoes are almost done.
Add tomatoes simmer gently for 5 more minutes until the tomatoes are soft but still holding together.
Do a final taste test and adjust seasoning as needed, then stir in chopped cilantro and serve. You can serve the soup on its own or with jasmine rice.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/chicken-potato-soup/feed/1Filipino Sinigang with Pork Ribs
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/sinigang/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/sinigang/#commentsTue, 29 Nov 2016 18:00:08 +0000http://paiskitchen.com/?p=4633I have gotten many requests for sinigang, and I am very happy about that because it's one of my favourite Filipino dishes. I remember the first time I had it I thought, "It's like a Filipino version of tom yum!" Sinigang is a Filipino sour soup, owing its sour flavour from tamarind. With lots of veggies […]
]]>I have gotten many requests for sinigang, and I am very happy about that because it's one of my favourite Filipino dishes. I remember the first time I had it I thought, "It's like a Filipino version of tom yum!"
Sinigang is a Filipino sour soup, owing its sour flavour from tamarind. With lots of veggies and hearty meat, this tart soup is both rich and refreshing, if that's even possible.
Nowadays, many people make sinigang using a powdered soup mix, but I make mine completely from scratch and you'll see in the video tutorial that it's really not any more difficult! Feel free to change up the protein if you don't eat pork. Change up the veggies, too, if you like!
Ingredients
Pork spare ribs, chopped into small pieces. You can buy these ribs already chopped at most Asian butchers. If you like pork belly, you can replace some of the ribs with pork belly for a meatier and fattier soup. If you don't eat pork, other meats can also be used, but if using a boneless meat, you need to use chicken stock or pork stock instead of water to ensure good flavour.
Salt
Seedless tamarind pulp or premade tamarind paste. This is the a souring agent and is the most important ingredient in this soup! Store bought tamarind paste is fine, but if you start out with tamarind pulp which will get you even better flavour. In the video I show you how to make just enough for this recipe, but if you want to make tamarind paste in bulk, which is what I do, watch this DIY tamarind paste tutorial.
Red onion
Tomato
Fish sauce
Baby bok choy, water spinach or other greens that you like in soup
Long beans (aka string beans) or green beans, cut into 1"-2" pieces
Taro root, both larger or smaller roots will work, so choose whatever you prefer. Larger ones are a little starchier.
Thai chilies, or another hot pepper.
How to Make Sinigang
Here's a brief look at the steps for making sinigang. Be sure to refer to the full written recipe and watch the full video tutorial below to ensure success!
Salt the pork ribs and sear them in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until browned. You may need to do this in batches.
Add all the pork back into the pot and add water to cover. Add fish sauce, bring to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Skim off the scum then add onion and tomatoes; simmer for another 45 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile,make the tamarind paste by placing the pulp in a bowl and cover with hot water; let sit until cool enough to handle.
Squish the tamarind with your hand to release the pulp into the water then strain off all the fibers.
Once the pork is tender, add the vegetables in the order in which they take to cook, starting with harder vegetables and ending with leafy greens first.
Season the soup with most of the tamarind paste, then taste and adjust with more tamarind and fish sauce as needed.
Enjoy with jasmine rice
Storing Leftovers
Sinigang is a great dish to make in advance because it keeps well, and tastes even better as it sits in the fridge and the flavours have a change to mingle. It will last at least a week in the fridge, but when reheating, be careful not to overcook the taro.
Watch The Full Video Tutorial!
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
1 ½ lb pork spare ribs, chopped into small pieces (see note)
1 generous pinch of salt
45g seedless tamarind pulp or 4-5 tablespoon tamarind paste
½ large red or yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 roma tomatoes, large dice
2 Tbsp fish sauce
3 heads baby bok choy, water spinach or other greens you like in soup
1 cup long beans or green beans, cut into 1"-2" pieces
2 cups taro root, large cubes
Thai chilies, crushed just until broken
Note: You can buy chopped up spare ribs at Asian butchers. If you cannot find it, you can simply use a rack of ribs, separated into individual bones; it's just gonna be a bit harder to sear and to eat. You can also substitute other kinds of meat; however, if using boneless meat, you MUST use a good stock instead of water, otherwise your soup will be really weak in flavour and body.
We can email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
Salt the pork ribs. In a large heavy bottomed pot, add a little oil just to coat. Once oil is hot, add the ribs and sear until browned on both sides; do not crowd the pot, you will probably need to do this in a couple of batches.
Once the pork is all seared, add them all back to the pot and add just enough water to cover the pork by about 1 cm. Add the fish sauce and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until scum and foam has collected on top. Skim off the scum with a fine mesh strainer, then add onion and tomatoes, and simmer for another 45 minutes or until the pork is fork tender.
Meanwhile, if using tamarind pulp, use this time to make tamarind paste. Place the pulp in a medium bowl, cover with off-the-boil water and let sit until cool enough to handle. Squish the tamarind with your hands until all pulp has been released into the water. Strain off all the fibers.
Once the pork is fork tender, add taro cubes and chilies, and simmer for 7 minutes. Add the beans and cook for 2 more minutes, then add bok choy or any leafy greens you're using. Check that the taro is tender by piercing a fork through it and it should go through easily. Season the soup with most of the tamarind juice and then taste, adding more fish sauce and tamarind as needed (note: I used up all of my tamarind juice in the video). You shouldn't need any added sugar for this, but if the soup feels too sour, you can add a little sugar to balance.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/sinigang/feed/13Easy Chicken Wing Tom Yum Soup
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/tom-yum-wings/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/tom-yum-wings/#commentsFri, 17 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=15649This recipe is a sneak peek from my new cookbook SABAI, which is all about simple, weeknight-friendly Thai recipes. Tom yum soup is one of the most famous dishes in Thai cuisine, but most people only know the spicy and bold-flavoured version made with shrimp, or tom yum goong. This chicken wing tom yum soup […]
]]>This recipe is a sneak peek from my new cookbook SABAI, which is all about simple, weeknight-friendly Thai recipes. Tom yum soup is one of the most famous dishes in Thai cuisine, but most people only know the spicy and bold-flavoured version made with shrimp, or tom yum goong.
Chicken wing tom yum soup from my second book SABAI, all about simple, weeknight-friendly Thai recipes.
This chicken wing tom yum soup however has a simpler, cleaner-tasting broth, and it is one of the most soul-soothing dishes we have to offer. I love using chicken wings in soups for reasons I explain below, but there is also an option to use boneless chicken with a slight modification.
Ingredients
Here are all ingredients you'll need with some explanations and substitutions. For amounts and instructions, please refer to the recipe card.
Chicken drumettes. I use drumettes as they are easier to eat in a soup. If you've got whole wings, save your flats for fish sauce wings! There is also an option to use boneless chicken thighs (see below).
Oyster mushrooms, or another fresh Asian mushroom such as shimeji.
Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or a large tomato cut into wedges.
Dried chilies are traditional, but really we just wanna add some heat in there one way or another! So hot pepper flakes or chopped fresh Thai chilies will also do.
Here's a bird's eye view of the process. If it's your first time I highly recommend watching the full video tutorial to ensure success!
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the chicken wings, shallots, fish sauce and sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is fork tender.
Meanwhile, toast the dried chilies in a dry skillet over medium high heat until charred spots form. This takes just a few minutes.
After chicken is done simmering, add the lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves.
Add the chilies, breaking them for more heat. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 2 minutes, or until soft but still holding together.
Turn off the heat and add lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar as needed. If it is too strong you can add some water.
Stir in cilantro and/or green onions to finish.
Serve with jasmine rice. See the end of the video for a couple of ways Thai people eat this soup.
Why Use Chicken Wings for Soup?
Chicken wing soup might sound like it would be difficult to eat, but Thai people love using them in soups for a reason. Chicken wings have an extremely high bone-to-meat ratio, and a lot of cartilage, which means that the wings can turn plain water into a broth richer and tastier than anything you can buy.
Also all this can be done in less than 30 minutes, and you can see how rich the broth is by the way any leftovers will gel up in the fridge!
Finally wings don’t require any chopping, and I’m all about less cleanup any time!
Substituting Boneless Chicken
If you don’t want to navigate chicken bones while eating soup, I get it. You can opt to use 1 pound (450 g) bite-sized pieces of boneless chicken thighs instead, but then you mustuse unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock instead of water in the recipe.
Without the bones, the meat will not produce a rich enough broth, and the soup will not be nearly as good. Check out my recipe for boneless chicken tom yum soup for further info.
What to Serve With Tom Yum Soup
While it's perfectly acceptable to eat tom yum soup on its own with some jasmine rice, in Thailand it's typically part of a bigger meal. Since the soup is light and tart, we want to pair it with something dry and/or rich:
A comforting soup infused with lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves; the essence of Thai home cooking. The chicken wings turns plain water into a luxuriously rich and flavourful broth in a short time. This is an excerpt from my cookbook SABAI.
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the chicken drumettes, shallots, 3 tablespoons (45 ml ) fish sauce and 2 teaspoons (10 ml ) sugar. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fork-tender.
5 cups water, 1½ pounds chicken drumettes, ½ cup coarsely chopped shallots, 3-4 tablespoons fish sauce, 2-3 teaspoons granulated sugar
While the chicken is cooking, char the dried chilies for additional smoky flavor. Place the chilies in a dry skillet over medium-high heat and stir them for a few minutes until they develop charred spots and smell smoky. Keep an eye on them and don’t walk away! Once charred, set aside.
5 spicy dried chilies
When the chicken is tender, add the dried chilies (keep them whole for a milder soup, or break them up for a spicy soup), lemongrass, galangal, and mushrooms. Twist the makrut lime leaves to bruise them and release their aroma before tearing them into big chunks and adding to the pot, discarding any big center stems. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes, or just until the tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape. Turn off the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons (45 ml ) lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more fish sauce, sugar, or lime juice as needed. You want it to lead with sour and salty. The sweetness is there for balance, but the soup should not taste distinctly sweet. Before serving, you can remove the herbs, as they are not meant to be eaten; however traditionally they are left in the soup. I like to remove only half to make it a little easier to eat while keeping the traditional look. Be sure to remind your guests not to eat them!
1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes, 3 to 4 tablespoons lime juice
Garnish the soup with cilantro and serve with jasmine rice. The meat should be super tender and easy to pry off the bones with a spoon.
7 to 8 sprigs cilantro, Jasmine rice
Video
Notes
Drumettes are easier to eat in soups than whole wings. If you’ve got the whole wings, save the flats for these easy and delicious Fish Sauce Wings.
If you don’t want to navigate chicken bones while eating soup, I get it. You can opt to use 1 pound (450 g ) bite-sized pieces of boneless chicken thighs instead, but then you must use unsalted chicken stock instead of water. Without the bones, the meat will not give a rich enough broth and the soup will not be nearly as good.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/tom-yum-wings/feed/12Basic Tom Yum Soup for any Leftover Meats
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/leftover-tom-yum/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/leftover-tom-yum/#respondFri, 18 Dec 2020 14:00:32 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=9457Thai Tom Yum Goong soup is famous the world over, but did you know you can make a tom yum soup with just about any meat you have on hand or as leftovers? It's the perfect way to use up that leftover holiday Turkey, or even a leftover rotisserie chicken! If you want something creamier […]
]]>Thai Tom Yum Goong soup is famous the world over, but did you know you can make a tom yum soup with just about any meat you have on hand or as leftovers? It's the perfect way to use up that leftover holiday Turkey, or even a leftover rotisserie chicken!
If you want something creamier and more comforting, check out my tom kha soup recipe! It uses all the same herbs as a tom yum, but it's enriched with coconut milk and is a little bit milder and more comforting. It's more kid-friendly, and an equally great way to use up your leftover turkey or chicken!
Love tom yum? Try these dishes!
This recipe here is a basic tom yum soup, but every variation of tom yum is a little bit different depending on the protein used. So if you love these flavours of lemongrass, galangal and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, be sure to check out some of my other tom yum recipes!
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success! And if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
1 cup oyster, beech, or another Asian mushrooms (optional)
2 cups leftover cooked meat, chopped into bite-sized pieces
¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes (do not add if making tom ka)
3-4 tablespoon lime juice
Chopped cilantro or green onions
Jasmine rice for serving
Want to save this recipe?
We can email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
In a medium pot, bring the stock to a boil.
Meanwhile, smash the Thai chilies with a pestle so they are broken but still hold together as 1 piece, or cut them into large chunks.
Once the stock is boiling, add chilies, lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves; simmer for 5 minutes.
Season with the lower amount of fish sauce and sugar within the range above (you can ramp it up later), then add mushrooms and simmer for another 2 minutes to cook.
Add the meat and tomatoes and cook just until the meat is heated through. Turn off the heat, add lime juice, then taste and adjust seasoning.
Stir in fresh herbs.
Note: The lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves are not meant to be eaten. You can remove them before serving or be sure to tell your guests not to eat them.
Notes
You can make a basic stock from the bones of your roast by simply simmering them in water for a few hours. This will work for chicken, turkey, or beef bones. You can add some aromatic vegetables such as onions, carrots, garlic, and lemongrass tops if you wish, but it is not necessary. If you don't have any bones, use store bought unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock. Do not use store bought beef stock for this as it has too strong a flavour.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/leftover-tom-yum/feed/0Thai Street Food - Pork Bones Soup "Leng Saeb"
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/thai-pork-bone-soup/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/thai-pork-bone-soup/#commentsFri, 24 Dec 2021 14:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=13118A few years ago, Mark Wiens posted a video titled "The Most INSANE Street Food in Thailand". Where he was eating a mountain of tender-braised pork bones "soup," with the bones piled higher than his head, surrounded by a delicious spicy broth laced with chilies and cilantro. That video has now been viewed over 7 […]
]]>A few years ago, Mark Wiens posted a video titled "The Most INSANE Street Food in Thailand". Where he was eating a mountain of tender-braised pork bones "soup," with the bones piled higher than his head, surrounded by a delicious spicy broth laced with chilies and cilantro.
That video has now been viewed over 7 million times, and of course I've received MANY requests for the recipe! The good news is that it's actually easy to make at home and IS as tasty as Mark says it is. You'll also end up with extra broth that's perfect for more street foods such as spicy Tom Yum Noodles!
"Leng Saeb" is a recently invented Thai street food where pork bones are piled high and drenched in a tasty broth.
A dish made from just...bones?
If you think it's crazy that we should be eating a dish made from bones, hear me out. This dish is made from pork neck/back bones, which are most commonly used for making Thai noodle soup broths. But they have a lot of meat on them tucked away in all the nooks and crannies as well.
In fact, every time I make pork stock with these, once it's done simmering I remove all of the tender meat that is practically falling off the bones, and I always end up with enough meat for a full meal for two adults!
So you can think of this like eating ribs. There are a lot of bones, but also a lot of meat. If you eat chicken feet, this has way more meat than that. I'm pretty sure this dish was created because some noodle soup vendor thought there's enough meat in these bones to be a whole nother dish!
This video of Mark Wiens eating Leng Saeb in Thailand has been viewed over 7 million times.
What does "leng saeb" mean?
Leng is short for ia leng which means pork spine in Teochew Chinese. They're the bones most commonly used to make pork stock for noodle soups because they have a lot of cut surfaces exposing the interior of the bones, cartilage and marrow which give the broth rich flavour and body.
Noodle soups were originally introduced to Thailand by Teochew immigrants, which is why Thai people have adopted the Teochew term. (Many Thai people are of Teochew descent, myself partially included.) Fun fact: Leng actually means dragon, and when the spine bone is removed from the pig, it is long like a dragon!
Saeb on the other hand, means delicious in Lao. But when Thai people use it, it's used to mean "spicy and delicious." This is because Lao food is generally more spicy than Thai food.
So "Leng Saeb" means spicy, tasty pork bones!
Bones Buying Guide
You can find leng bones at most Chinese butchers or grocery stores sold as either pork neck bones or pork back bones. In my experience pork neck bones are meatier, so that's what I use. But if you can only find back bones that works as well. They will not be cut into the foot-long pieces you see in Mark's video above, but that's actually good because it makes them a lot more manageable!
Pork neck bones sold at Chinese butchers/grocery stores. Pork back bones or ribs can also be used.
As you might suspect, you can absolutely make this dish using pork ribs. Baby back ribs or spareribs will work just as well, and you can separate the bones into smaller chunks so they will fit into your stock pot. It will actually be a little easier to eat, but the resulting stock might not be as rich because ribs have fewer exposed bone surfaces, which are what gives body and flavour to the stock.
Alternatively, you can use chopped spare ribs that are often sold in small pieces at Chinese butchers - and as I used in this dim sum spare ribs recipe. This will be a better option than full pork ribs because there are many more exposed bones and a lot more cartilage (also great for a full-bodied stock) and it'll be much easier to eat. You'll be missing is the impressive "mountain" experience, but it'll taste just as good.
Ingredients You'll Need
There are 2 steps to making leng saeb; the first is braising the pork bones and making the base stock, and the second is turning that stock into the saeb broth.
Ingredients for braising pork bones and making stock: Garlic, fish sauce, white peppercorns, soy sauce, pork neck/back bones, onions. If you have daikon radish, add that too.Ingredients for making the saeb broth: Pork stock (from above), fish sauce, sugar, Thai chilies, lime, cilantro, chopped garlic.
Step-By-Step:
Here's the bird's eye view of the process, but be sure to check out the full video tutorial in the recipe card below to ensure success!
1. Simmer pork bones with seasoning. 2. Skim off the scum after about 30 mins. 3. Add aromatics and simmer for another 1.5 - 2 hours. 4. Check that the meat is fork tender, and skim off the aromatics.5. Take some of the pork stock and bring to a boil. 6. Turn it off and add garlic, chilies, sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. 7. Stir in cilantro. 8. Pile pork onto a platter and ladle broth over.
Pro Tip: Making Eating Easy
Since you'll be eating meat off the bones, be sure to cook it long enough that the thickest part of the meat is super fork tender and comes off the bones easily. Your total cooking time should be at least 2 hours, and may even be 2.5 hours for particularly meaty bones.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't eat pork, can I substitute another meaty bones?
Absolutely! You can make this recipe with chicken feet if you like them, or wings. For beef you can use oxtail. Chicken will take 30-45 minutes to become tender, oxtail can take up to 3.5 hours. Or try this Thai oxtail soup recipe that has a similar vibe.
I cannot find pork back or neck bones, what can I use instead?
You can make this dish using pork ribs. Baby back ribs or spareribs will work just as well. You can separate the bones into smaller chunks so they will fit in the pot. It will actually be a little easier to eat, but the resulting stock might not be as tasty because ribs have fewer exposed bone surfaces, which is what gives body to the stock. Alternatively, you can use chopped spare ribs that are often sold in small pieces at Chinese butchers, like the ones used for this dim sum spare ribs recipe. This will yield a better stock because there are many more exposed bones and a lot of cartilage. It'll also be much easier to eat, but the presentation will not be as extravagant as you won't have the mountain!
Can I make this dish less spicy?
Yes, but since chilies add a nice flavour to the broth, I suggest removing the seeds and pith from the chilies rather than using fewer chilies.
Like this recipe? You'd also love these!
Here are two recipes that have a similar meat-on-bone-in-spicy broth vibe. The fish has practically the same broth as this recipe, but the oxtail has more of a tom yum feel with lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves.
Before you start, be sure to watch the video tutorial to ensure success! I always include little tips and tricks not mentioned in the blog post. The video is in the recipe card below, but you can also watch it on YouTube.
A Thai street food featuring an impressive "mountain" of pork bones with meat that's fall-off-the-bone tender. Served with a spicy, garlicky pork broth that is to die for. Gluten free.
In a large stock pot add the bones and cover with the water. Add the soy sauce and the fish sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until a significant amount of scum collects on top. Skim off the scum and discard.
3 lb pork neck or back bones, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoon fish sauce, 3.7 qt water
Add the onions, garlic, and peppercorns and simmer for another 1.5 hours or until the meat is fork tender. If water dries up too quickly, top it off just until the bones are submerged.
Half an onion, Half a head garlic, ½ teaspoon white peppercorns
To make the Saeb broth
Take 2 cups of the pork stock and bring to a boil in a small pot. Keep the pork bones in the broth to keep them moist until ready to serve. Meanwhile pound the chilies in a mortar and pestle until broken into bits or finely chop them.
2 cups pork stock, 3-4 Thai chilies
Once the broth is boiling, turn off the heat and immediately add the garlic and chilies. Season with the sugar, fish sauce and lime juice, then taste and add more fish sauce if needed. (How much fish sauce depends on how far your stock reduced, so you have to taste and adjust here.) When ready to serve, stir in the cilantro.
3 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 teaspoon sugar, 3 tablespoon chopped garlic, ⅔ cup chopped cilantro
To serve
Arrange the pork bones into a big pile on a platter that has enough depth to it to hold the broth. Ladle the seasoned broth over the pork, allowing the garlic and the chilies to rest on the bones. Serve with jasmine rice. You can use a spoon and fork to pick the meat off of the bones, but feel free to use your hands when needed. The broth is the best part of this, so be sure to sip on that as you eat, and drench your rice with it!*You can save the remaining broth for noodle soups. They will last in the fridge for about a week, and will freeze indefinitely.
Jasmine rice for serving
Video
Notes
You can buy pork neck bones or back bones at Chinese butchers or grocery stores. Choose neck bones if you can, as they tend to have more meat. Alternatively, you can use pork ribs. See more info in the FAQ above.
If you have daikon radish, you can add about 2 cups of peeled and large diced daikon to the broth either instead of, or in addition to, the onion.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/thai-pork-bone-soup/feed/7Jackfruit Curry with Ribs & Tomatoes - Gaeng Kanoon
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/northern-jackfruit-curry/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/northern-jackfruit-curry/#commentsFri, 18 Jun 2021 13:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=12088Young jackfruit is having a bit of a moment in the West because it has been adopted as a vegan meat substitute; making it more widely available even at non-Asian stores. In Thailand, young jackfruit has always been used as a vegetable, and this curry is one of the easiest introductions to working with young […]
]]>Young jackfruit is having a bit of a moment in the West because it has been adopted as a vegan meat substitute; making it more widely available even at non-Asian stores. In Thailand, young jackfruit has always been used as a vegetable, and this curry is one of the easiest introductions to working with young jackfruit.
This dish belongs to the family of Thai water-based curries, like sour curry and jungle curry, so no coconut milk here. The ribs enrich the broth, the tomatoes provide natural sweetness, and the jackfruit gives a unique texture. It's really different from any other Thai dish you might have had in restaurants, and worth exploring if you love trying new things!
What You'll Need
Here are the ingredients for jackfruit curry. Yes, you will need to make the curry paste yourself because it's so simple they don't bother selling it pre-made!
Left to right, top to bottom: Pork spare ribs, chrysanthemum greens (can sub another veg), shallots, garlic, wild betel leaves (can also sub another veg), young jackfruit, cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, shrimp paste, dried chilies.
Step-By-Step: How to Make Jackfruit Curry
To ensure success be sure to check out the detailed instructions and full video tutorial in the recipe card below - but here's a bird's eye view of what you'll need to do.
1. Add water, ribs and fish sauce to a pot and bring to a simmer. 2. Meanwhile cut the jackfruit into small pieces. 3. Add jackfruit to the pork and simmer while you make the curry paste. 4. Grind dried chilies into a powder.5. Pound the garlic and shallots. 6. Once it feels wet, add chilies and pound into a paste. 7. Add shrimp paste and pound to mix. 8. Add curry paste to the pot.9. Simmer pork for about 1 hour until fork tender. 10. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce. 11. Add veggies and cook for a few mins. 12. It's ready now, but it will taste better tomorrow!
Young Green Jackfruit vs Ripe Yellow Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a tropical tree fruit with blunt, short spikes and can range from large to jaw-dropping enormous!
When the fruit is young, the exterior is green and the flesh is white with a relatively mild flavour. The seeds have not yet become hard so you can cut up the whole fruit and eat everything but the skin. You can find canned young jackfruit packed in brine at most Asian markets.
Once jackfruit is mature and ripe, the flesh becomes bright yellow with a hard brown seed inside each "piece". It also develops a strong aroma and becomes very sweet and super delicious! You might have seen it before in Southeast Asian desserts such as Filipino halo halo or Thai lod chong Singapore. You can buy ripe jackfruit in cans, packed in syrup.
Needless to say, green and yellow jackfruit are vastly different and are not interchangeable in any situation!
Left: Ripe jackfruit is yellow and sits with other canned fruits. Right: Young green jackfruit has white flesh and usually sits with other canned vegetables.
How to Cut Open a Fresh Jackfruit
If you're working with fresh young green jackfruit, it's simple because the whole thing is edible except the skin. So slice off the skin and chop the interior up into small pieces. Some people (like me!) don't like to eat the firmer core, but to not be wasteful I'd use everything. Tip: Oil your knife so the sticky sap doesn't stick to it as much.
But if you have a ripe jackfruit, cutting it open can be a pain and requires some knowledge of jackfruit anatomy so you know which part is edible and which part is not. Here's a video I filmed years ago in Thailand showing you how to cut up a jackfruit from our tree!
FAQs About Ingredients in Jackfruit Curry
I don't eat pork, what can I use instead?
You can use chicken wings. You want lots of bones which are what will make the broth delicious. If you're going to go with boneless meat then you MUST use a good, strong stock instead of water.
What can I use instead of shrimp paste?
You can use 1-2 tablespoons of miso paste or Korean doenjang. The flavours are quite different but at least you will still get the that rich umami which is important. If you want to know more about shrimp paste, check out this video for shrimp paste dip.
What can I substitute for young jackfruit?
Nothing! J/k. Well, not really...it IS jackfruit curry after all. I can't think of any other vegetables that would be similar to jackfruit in terms of texture or flavour, so I'd go with whatever non-leafy veggie you like (green papaya, winter melon or zucchini would be good) and adjust cooking time accordingly.
What can I substitute for wild betel leaves and cha-om?
Sturdy leafy greens such as Chinese broccoli or Swiss chard could work instead of wild betel leaves. Instead of cha-om you can try chrysanthemum greens, asparagus, or any other non-neutral flavoured greens you like.
What kind of dried chilies should I use for Thai curry paste?
You have many options depending on how spicy you want it. If you want mild, go with large dried chilies such as guajillo, puya, or the original Thai spur chilies if you can find them. You can even use Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru).
For a spicy curry, use small ones like Thai chilies, arbol, or the unnamed dried chilies you can find at most Asian grocery stores (which is what I used in this video). Feel free to add more than the recipe calls for; there is no maximum!
What you might want to do is to combine them to get a customized level of heat: some large ones for flavour and colour, and some small ones for heat. If you can only get spicy ones, you can remove the seeds and/or pith to lessen the heat.
This northern Thai dish is a water-based curry. Pork ribs give the broth delicious richness, tomatoes give umami, and young green jackfruit gives it a unique texture. Healthy, easy to make, and gluten free!
Add the ribs to a large pot, add the water and 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce and bring to a simmer over high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer.
Meanwhile, drain and rinse the jackfruit, cut them into small bite-sized pieces and add them to the pot.
While the ribs cooks, make the curry paste. Grind the dried chilies into a powder in a spice grinder; set aside. In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and shallots into a rough paste, adding the chilies once the shallots and garlic start to feel wet. Once you have a rough paste, add the shrimp paste and pound to mix. The result does not need to be super fine.
Skim off any scum from the broth,then add the curry paste. Stir to mix and continue to simmer until the pork is fork tender; between 45 mins to 1 hour total, depending on the thickness of the meat on the ribs.
Once the ribs are tender, add all the greens and tomatoes and let it cook for just 1-2 minutes to wilt the greens and soften the tomatoes. You can add more water if necessary but you don't want too much water here, just enough to keep everything mostly submerged
Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce as needed; and if you want a little more umami funk, you can add more shrimp paste too. There should be enough natural sweetness from the tomatoes and the pork, but if you feel like it’s a little one dimensionally salty, you can add a touch of sugar to balance.
Serve with jasmine rice. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Notes:
You can use any kind of dried red chilies depending on the spiciness you want. For a mild curry you can use large chilies such as guajillo or puya peppers. For more heat use smaller ones such as dried Thai chilies, or do a combination of both for something in between. If you want to reduce the heat of the chilies, do not put less chilies, just remove the seeds/pith as shown in the video. The amount given is the minimum required; you can add more if you like.
For the shrimp paste, start out with 2 teaspoons and see if you want a little more “funk”. If you don’t have shrimp paste you can also add 1-2 tablespoons of miso paste instead.
At Asian markets, you can find spare ribs that are cut into short pieces. They may already be cut into individual ribs, or left as long strips which you will have to separate yourself (please see video for cutting demo). You can also use full-sized ribs, but it’ll just be a little more clunky to eat.
You may be able to find wild betel leaves at some stores that carry a lot of Thai or Vietnamese produce (it’s called la lot in Vietnamese and bai chaploo in Thai). Otherwise sturdy greens such as Chinese broccoli or Swiss chard will also work.
Cha-om or climbing wattle is a Thai vegetable with a unique fragrance. You may be able to find it at some Thai grocery stores as fresh or frozen. You can substitute another non-neutral-flavoured greens such as chrysanthemum greens (called tong ho in Chinese; I use 2 cups of this) or whatever is available to you.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/northern-jackfruit-curry/feed/1Thai Jungle Curry with Chicken (Gaeng Pa Gai)
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/jungle-curry/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/jungle-curry/#commentsFri, 23 Apr 2021 13:00:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=11683This classic Thai dish is called "jungle curry" or gaeng pa because there are so many plants in it that it's like a whole jungle in a bowl! Healthy, herbaceous, and fiercely spicy - this curry packs all the flavours that are iconic to Thailand. It's a water-based curry (no coconut milk) so it makes […]
]]>This classic Thai dish is called "jungle curry" or gaeng pa because there are so many plants in it that it's like a whole jungle in a bowl! Healthy, herbaceous, and fiercely spicy - this curry packs all the flavours that are iconic to Thailand. It's a water-based curry (no coconut milk) so it makes for a light but satisfying meal. For the curry paste, I've included both the "from-scratch" and "quick-fix" recipes, so you can make it a project or a weeknight meal!
Thai Jungle Curry - Gaeng Pa
What You'll Need
Here are ingredients you'll need to make jungle curry. Note that for the curry paste I'm showing you is the "quick-fix" version. Please see the listing for the "from-scratch" version in the recipe card below.
Clockwise from top-left: Chicken thigh, chicken stock, fish sauce, palm sugar, young peppercorns, holy basil, toasted rice, long beans or green beans, baby corn, Thai eggplant, spur chilies (red bell pepper).
Here are the ingredients for the quick-fix jungle curry paste:
Clockwise from top-left: Red curry paste, green Thai chilies, grachai (fingerroot), and lemongrass
How to Make Jungle Curry Step-By-Step
Be sure to check out the detailed recipe and full video tutorial in the recipe card below - but here's a bird's eye view of what you'll need to do.
1. Grind grachai, lemongrass and green chilies until fine 2. Add red curry paste 3. Pound to mix 4. Finished jungle curry paste (can be frozen).5. Saute the curry paste in oil 6. Add chicken thigh 7. Add chicken stock 8. Simmer 15 mins until chicken is fork tender.9. Add firm veggies, young peppercorns, makrut lime leaves, and seasoning. 10. Once veggies are done, add holy basil and bell pepper 11. Add toasted rice powder. 12. Done!
Using Red Curry Paste as a Base
In this video I showed you how to make jungle curry paste the quick way by doctoring store-bought red curry paste. Using red curry paste as a base is a handy technique that I also use in my Instant Pot massaman curry and panang curry recipes.
This works because red curry paste is a "basic" paste, in the sense that it contains all of the ingredients that are common to many other pastes, but nothing more. So we can use it as a shortcut starting point when making more complex pastes.
Some Ingredient Notes:
Jungle curry uses a few ingredients you may have never heard of before, so here's some background on each.
Grachai. This is an aromatic rhizome with a few English names: fingerroot, Chinese keys, and a few more. You won't find any of these English names on the product label at Asian stores though. If you can't find them fresh, look for ones in brine in glass jars (see video). Most of the time these are labeled as "rhizome" (not very descriptive), "pickled galangal" (it's neither galangal nor pickled), or by its Vietnamese name ngải bún. It's also a key ingredient in this rice noodles with fish curry recipe.
Young Green Peppercorns. These are peppercorns in their fresh state before they get turned into the black or white pepper we're used to seeing. They can be found fresh or also brined in a glass jar (see video). Cut them into chunks and add to soups or stir-fries. I don't usually eat them myself, but if you like an extra peppery punch you can break off the peppercorns from the stem and eat - but only 1-2 at a time!
Holy Basil. In Thai this is called gaprao, and is the key ingredient in the famous dish, chicken and basil stir fry or pad gaprao. Sometimes it is written as kaprao, kra pao (wrong), or gra pao (also wrong).
Thai eggplant. These are round, striped, beautiful eggplants that are quite versatile. They are crunchy when raw, and indeed can be eaten raw, but I prefer them cooked. They are usually added to some forms of curry, and is very popular in green curry.
Pea eggplant. I didn't use these in this video because I don't like them, but they're very commonly added to jungle curry so it's an option for you. They pop when you bite them and have a bitter taste (ew) which some people really like.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jungle Curry
What brand is the best red curry paste to use?
I talk extensively about how to pick the best curry paste in this Ultimate Guide to Curry Pastes video so make sure you check this out. But if possible, for jungle curry you want to choose a really basic paste that doesn't contain any cumin or coriander seeds. Sometimes these are listed simply as "spices". It's not a deal breaker, but is something to look for if you have the option. In this video I used Maeploy brand.
Can I substitute other proteins?
YES! Jungle curry can be made using all kinds of protein, just make sure you adjust cooking time accordingly to suit whatever you're using. You can also keep the chicken stock, or change it up to match your protein.
Can I use other vegetables?
Yes, BUT. Unlike the protein, in Thailand you won't see too many different veggies used for gaeng pa. So to stay true to the original, try to use the ones in the recipe. If you have to use others, try to choose ones with mild flavours such as zucchini, Chinese broccoli, or carrots, so that they will not detract from the flavour of the curry.
There are so many hard-to-find herbs in this recipe, do I need them all?
The most important is grachai (fingerroot) because it is a key flavour. If you make it without, it'll still be delicious, but it won't taste exactly as it should. Holy basil is also a key flavour, but regular basil or Thai basil can be used instead. The young peppercorns can be omitted without issues.
A water-based curry bursting with so many veggies and herbs it's like a "jungle" in a bowl. With no coconut milk this curry is light and healthy, but still satisfying because of the bold flavours. Oh and it's HOT.
If you don't want to make it too spicy, remove the seeds and pith from the green chilies, then pound them in a mortar and pestle until fine. Add grachai and lemongrass and pound into a fine paste.
Add the red curry paste and pound to mix. The curry paste will last in the fridge for a few days and can be frozen for a few months.
For the curry:
In a heavy-bottomed pot, add the oil and the curry paste and saute over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
Add the chicken and toss with the curry paste, then add the stock and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fork tender.
Once the chicken is done, add the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce and stir to mix. Add the eggplant, long beans, baby corn, young peppercorns, and makrut lime leaves and simmer for a few more minutes until the vegetables are done to your liking.
Turn off the heat and stir in the holy basil and spur chilies or bell pepper, using just the residual heat to gently cook and wilt them. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce as needed.
Serve with jasmine rice, enjoy!
For from-scratch jungle curry paste:
Grind the dried chilies into a powder using a coffee grinder.
In a heavy-duty mortar and pestle, add the green chilies, salt, and white peppercorns; pound into a fine paste.
Add the lemongrass, galangal, grachai, makrut lime zest, and cilantro roots; pound into a fine paste.
Add the ground chilies and pound to mix.
Add the shallots and garlic and pound into a fine paste.
Video
Notes
Spur chilies or prik chee fa are large mild red peppers which we use to add colour to many dishes. You can substitute red bell pepper or any other medium-to-mild red peppers.
To make toasted rice powder, simply toast 1 ½ tablespoon uncooked jasmine or sticky rice in a dry saute pan over high heat, stirring constantly, until it has a deep brown colour. Then grind in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/jungle-curry/feed/16Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup)
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/tom-ka-gai/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/tom-ka-gai/#commentsSat, 07 May 2022 00:04:00 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=1937Tom yum goong maybe the most famous soup of Thailand, but its milder creamier sister, tom kha gai, is my personal favourite. This comforting Thai coconut chicken soup recipe is infused with the classic Thai herbs: lemongrass, galangal, and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves. It's so easy yet so loveable that when someone asks, "I'm new […]
]]>Tom yum goongmaybe the most famous soup of Thailand, but its milder creamier sister, tom kha gai, is my personal favourite. This comforting Thai coconut chicken soup recipe is infused with the classic Thai herbs: lemongrass, galangal, and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves. It's so easy yet so loveable that when someone asks, "I'm new to Thai food, what should I try/make first?" Tom kha gai is my answer.
What is Tom Kha Gai?
Tom kha gai ต้มข่าไก่, which is sometimes spelled tom ka gai or tom kha kai, is one of the most popular soups amongst Thai food lovers. Tom means to boil, kha means galangal, and gai means chicken. So it's a chicken soup whose main flavour comes from galangal, but another key component not mentioned in the soup is coconut milk.
Tom kha gai soup is available at nearly every Thai restaurant overseas, but because it's such an easy recipe, it's a dish that's perfect for simple weeknight home cooking. Though chicken is the original version, you can make tom kha using other proteins. Typically in Thailand, alternative proteins are fish or seafood, as they pair best with the flavour profile of tom kha soup.
Tom kha gai is a great dish to make for a party because it is gluten-free, not too spicy, has easy-to-love flavours, and it can be made vegan with modifications I provide later on in this article.
Ingredients and Notes
Here are all the ingredients for my tom kha gai recipe and important notes about them. For the amounts, see the full recipe card below. There aren't that many, but each one is critical to the flavour of the soup. Kha in the soup name refers to the galangal, so that's the the one ingredient that cannot be substituted.
If you want to learn more about some of the Thai ingredients listed below, simply click the link to watch my "101" videos on them!
Boneless skinless chicken thighs (chicken breast is okay to use, but the methods need to be modified as per the notes in the recipe card)
Here's a bird's eye view of how to make tom kha gai, but to ensure success, be sure to watch the video tutorial in the recipe card below as it's always good to see how it's done, and I often include extra tips you don't want to miss!
Bring chicken stock and salt to a boil, add the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
Add coconut milk.
Add the herbs and chilies.
Add the mushrooms.
Add about half of the fish sauce and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add most of the lime juice, holding back a little. Taste and add more of the reserved fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
Stir in chopped cilantro and/or green onions.
Serve on its own or with jasmine rice!
Vegan Adaptability
Even though chicken is at the heart of this soup ("gai" in tom kha gai means chicken), there is a way to make a vegan version that's equally satisfying. Here are some simple modifications:
Use vegetable broth instead of chicken. I recommend checking out the veggie stock I made for my mushroom tom yum recipe. I don't recommend Western-style store bought vegetable broth as those tend to have a flavour that doesn't work here.
Instead of chicken, I love using just a fun mix of Asian mushrooms. Oyster, shimeji, fresh shiitake, or maitake are all great candidates. Of course you can substitute tofu instead if you like it.
Add some tomatoes. Since there's only mushrooms, to add some variety and extra umami, I love to add tomatoes. Using halved cherry tomatoes are better as they are less likely to turn to mush in the soup. The combination of tomato and coconut is divine.
Use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
Shortcut: Making Tom Kha Gai Without Chicken Stock
If you don't have any chicken stock, you can make tom kha gai with water, but obviously you will be giving up some flavour. But there is a trick that will not result in any flavour compromise! Instead of boneless chicken thighs, use chicken drumettes. The bones and collagen will make the broth rich and delicious, you're basically making chicken stock WHILE making the soup itself! The methods will remain the same, but if your drumettes are large you will need to increase the initial simmering time to 20 minutes.
For this dish, nothing. kha means galangal, so you really can't make this soup without it. However, if fresh isn't available, look for frozen galangal which works perfectly, and if needed you can use dried galangal as well.
No, ginger is not a good substitute for galangal. But if you decide to use ginger instead anyway, know that the flavour of the soup is going to be quite different from the galangal version.
Can I make tom kha gai soup in advance?
Tom kha gai is a great soup to make in advance as it keeps well and reheats well. It will last up to a week in the fridge, and it can also be frozen. Ideally you should leave out the lime juice and green onions/cilantro and add them when ready to serve for the best flavour. I'd also put a note on the container to remind yourself to add the lime so you don't forget!
To reheat, you can simply microwave it or reheat it stovetop.
Add the coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, chilies, mushrooms, about half of the fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.
Taste and add more fish sauce as needed. Turn off the heat and add about 2 tablespoon of the lime juice, then taste and add more as needed. Top with green onions and/or cilantro.
2 ½ tablespoon lime juice, chopped green onion and/or cilantro
Serve with jasmine rice as part of a larger Thai meal, or enjoy on its own. See this video about how to eat a Thai meal for how Thai people serve soup! (Note: the herbs are for infusion only and are not meant to be eaten. Either remove them before serving or inform your guests.)
Jasmine rice
Video
Notes
For a lighter soup, you can add reduce the coconut milk by about ½ cup and increase the chicken stock by the same amount.
If using chicken breast, cut into ½-inch thick slices and marinate in 1 tablespoon of fish sauce while you're prepping. Skip step #1 as chicken breast does not need to be simmered and is best cooked only briefly, and omit the salt. Reduce the chicken stock to 1 ½ cups and add it at step #2. Add the chicken breast to the soup at the end along with the mushrooms in step #3 and cook for a couple of minutes just until the chicken is done. Be sure to taste and adjust the salt at the end!
The lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves are meant for infusion only and not meant to be eaten. Please inform your guests or remove them before serving.
]]>https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/tom-ka-gai/feed/115Authentic Thai Tom Yum Chicken Soup (Tom Yum Gai)
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/tom-yum-chicken/
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/tom-yum-chicken/#commentsSat, 04 Oct 2014 04:57:30 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=2498Tom Yum Goong (tom yum soup with shrimp) might be the most famous version of this Thai hot and sour soup, but the chicken version is just as delicious and I find it is actually more comforting. There's a little more to it than simply substituting chicken for shrimp, as Thai people have figured out […]
Tom Yum Goong (tom yum soup with shrimp) might be the most famous version of this Thai hot and sour soup, but the chicken version is just as delicious and I find it is actually more comforting. There's a little more to it than simply substituting chicken for shrimp, as Thai people have figured out the best flavour pairings for these two different proteins.
Tom yum is a brothy, spicy and sour soup, infused with the classic Thai herbs: lemongrass, galangal and makrut (kaffir lime leaves). We make all kinds of tom yum in Thailand, so if you're wanting to explore, also check out my tom yum soup with fish, and a vegetarian tom yum soup!
Got ingredients leftover? You must make this easy tom kha gai recipe. It has uses all the same herbs, but is milder and creamier with the addition of coconut milk. If you love tom yum, I know you will also love tom kha gai.
For a Thai soup that doesn't use any hard-to-find ingredients, try this chicken potato soup that is super comforting and was a staple in my family in Thailand!
Watch The Full Video Tutorial!
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.
Chicken stock, unsalted. While it is okay to use store bought stock for an easy meal, for the best Thai flavour I recommend making a batch of homemade Thai style chicken stock, or at least a plain stock that doesn't have distinct flavours of Western herbs.
Chicken thigh, boneless skinless, cut in 1-inch pieces
Dried spicy chilies, any small dried chilies such as arbol chilies or the kind you find at Chinese grocery stores are fine. (Or substitute fresh chilies)
Shallots, cut in half vertically.
Lemongrass, bottom half only. Smash the stalk until broken then cut into 1-2 inch pieces.
Tamarind paste, you can use store bought Thai tamarind paste which is often labeled as "tamarind concentrate". It should be a brown colour with a pourable consistency. Better yet, you can make it yourself using tamarind pulp, use my homemade tamarind paste recipe here.
Oyster mushrooms, straw mushrooms or shimeji mushrooms.
Cherry tomatoes, halved, or regular tomatoes cut into wedges
Fresh lime juice (how much you need depends on the acidity of your tamarind)
Sugar (you may or may not need this)
Cilantro and or sawtooth coriander. If you're not a fan, green onions will be fine.
How to Make Tom Yum Chicken
Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.
Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium pot. Then add the chicken, 2 tablespoon fish sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is fork tender.
Meanwhile, place the dried chilies on a sheet pan and, without preheating, broil them on LOW in the oven on the top rack. Keep a close eye on the chilies, this should take just a minute or so once the elements are heated. When the chilies puff up and start to char in a few spots, remove from heat and add them directly to the stock pot. If you want a spicier soup, break the chilies in half before adding.
Turn the broiler up to HIGH and broil the shallots, cut side up, until the edges are charred, about 3-5 minutes. Add them to the stock pot.
Once chicken is tender, add the lemongrass and galangal slices. Then use your hands to grab and twist the makrut lime leaves to bruise them, and add them to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.
Add 2 tablespoon of the tamarind paste, mushrooms and tomatoes; bring the soup back to a boil.
Once the soup comes back to a boil, turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining tamarind, lime juice and fish sauce as needed. If the soup feels a little too tart or too sharp, add a teaspoon of sugar which will help balance the salt and the acid.
Stir in cilantro and sawtooth coriander just before serving. Serve with jasmine rice.
Tom yum soup is famous the world over. Healthy, spicy, and aromatic with lots of herbs. This recipe is with chicken which is more comforting than the shrimp version. It's a quick soup you can make on a weeknight!
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Instructions
Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium pot. Then add the chicken, 2 tablespoon fish sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is fork tender.
Meanwhile, place the dried chilies on a sheet pan and, without preheating, broil them on LOW in the oven on the top rack. Keep a close eye on the chilies, this should take just a minute or so once the elements are heated. When the chilies puff up and start to char in a few spots, remove from heat and add them directly to the stock pot. If you want a spicier soup, break the chilies in half before adding. If using fresh chilies, simply finely chop and add to the soup now. (See note)
Turn the broiler up to HIGH and broil the shallots, cut side up, until the edges are charred, about 3-5 minutes. Add them to the stock pot.
Prep the lemongrass by smashing the bottom half of the stalk with the back of your knife until the stalk breaks. Then cut off the top half and discard or save it for stock. Cut the bottom half into 2-3 inch pieces.
Once chicken is tender, add the lemongrass and galangal slices. Then use your hands to grab and twist the makrut lime leaves to bruise them, and add them to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.
Add 2 tablespoon of the tamarind paste, mushrooms and tomatoes; bring the soup back to a boil.
Once the soup comes back to a boil, turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining tamarind, lime juice and fish sauce as needed. If the soup feels a little too tart or too sharp, add a teaspoon of sugar which will help balance the salt and the acid.
Stir in cilantro and sawtooth coriander just before serving. Serve with jasmine rice.
Notes
The broiling of chillies and shallots are done to add a little smokiness to the soup. You can skip it to simplify things.
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https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/4-thai-leftover-recipes/#commentsFri, 18 Dec 2020 14:00:42 +0000https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/?p=9446There may not be any traditional Thai Christmas or Thanksgiving recipes, but there are many ways to turn your leftover Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas roast beef into traditional Thai dishes. Here are 4 of my favourite ways to use up leftover roasts that are quick and easy (we don't want more work after the big […]
]]>There may not be any traditional Thai Christmas or Thanksgiving recipes, but there are many ways to turn your leftover Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas roast beef into traditional Thai dishes.
Here are 4 of my favourite ways to use up leftover roasts that are quick and easy (we don't want more work after the big feast, right?!), and so delicious it might make you wonder why you didn't just do this for the dinner to begin with!
Watch: Video Tutorial for All 4 Recipes
You can read on, but if you prefer to watch, here's a video where I go through all 4 different recipes! If you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
This is my favourite way because it is quick and it makes a light and refreshing dish to offset the rich, heavy meal you just had. In this post and in the video I show you how to make a "laab" (no, it is not laRb ... you do not pronounce any r!) but you can quite easily turn it into a "yum" which is another type of Thai salad.
"Tom" is our term for soups, and you may be familiar with the famous tom yum goong and tom kha gai. In this post I share with you a recipe for a basic tom yum that would work with any leftovers, but luckily many of our soups are quite similar, so here are a few modifications you can make to turn them into a different type of soup.
Tom Kha (coconut galangal soup): Substitute ⅓ of the stock with coconut milk, or more if you want a richer soup, and use only 1 stalk of lemongrass and 15 slices of galangal. Omit tomatoes. See this recipe for tom kha gai as a reference.
Tom Sap (Northeastern style soup): Use dried chilies instead of fresh, and add 2 tablespoon of toasted rice powder to the soup at the end. If you can find sawtooth coriander (culantro) use that instead of cilantro. If you have my cookbook, I have this recipe on p. 127.
Tom Kloang (smoked fish soup): Use half tamarind and half lime juice for the acidity, and add a loosely packed ⅓ cup of bonito flakes. This is a cheat; typically in Thailand we use smoked dried fish which is not available here, so the Japanese katsuobushi (bonito flakes) works perfectly as a substitute. See this recipe for tom kloang as a reference.
This recipe is perfect for the perfectly cooked roast beef that you're super proud of and still want to enjoy the roast as is, but maybe with a bit of a different, lighter flavour. Or maybe you ran out of gravy ... isn't that always the case? There's never enough gravy?
"Jeaw" or "nam jim jeaw" is our universal dipping sauce for grilled or roasted meats. Chicken, beef, pork, or even fish; if it was grilled or roasted, we can dip it in jeaw.
I've given you a basic recipe here, but know that you can vary it a lot, especially with how sweet you want the sauce to be. Add more sugar or less sugar, it's completely up to you. You can also substitute some of the lime juice with tamarind paste for a thicker, richer dipping sauce.
Finally, we cannot talk about leftovers in the context of Asian food without talking about fried rice! "Pad" means to stir fry (yes, that's the same pad as pad thai). It is THE ultimate easy way to use up just about anything in the fridge.
PRO TIP: If you have any delicious meat juice collected on the serving platter, save it and use it as part of the sauce in the rice. If your rice is well cooked (i.e. not too soft) and you don't crowd the pan, you can add about 2 tablespoon of extra meat juice per recipe without worrying about making your rice too soft. Just be sure to adjust the seasoning accordingly - if your meat juice is on the salty side, cut down on the fish sauce or soy sauce slightly.