Tom (Yum!)

I have always loved Thai cuisine. The delicate balance of Asian and tropical flavors is unparalleled. I try to cook Thai food every once in a while, and I am always surprised when i read recipes or articles by the unusually creative spice combinations that can go into a Thai dish. Tonight for dinner I made Tom Yum soup, one of my all time favorites. I tried this a few months ago using fresh lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaf which was less than a success (the flavor just wasn't strong enough).

I'm visiting my mother in Asheville right now, who has also been on a Thai kick. She asked if I'd make a Thai soup, an offer I could not refuse. Tom Yum it was, and this time the name said it all. After some tips from Real Thai Recipes, an old Cook's Illustrated article on red curry, and some other websites, I felt like I knew enough to proceed. The trick I learned from the Cook's Ill. is to use red curry paste in addition the traditional spices (lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, and thai red chilis). The curry paste is a pureed blend of those spices, so it saves a lot of work, and can turn out great Thai, even if you can't get your hands on the authentic stuff (which was the case tonight). Galangal and lime leaf are usually only available at specialty markets so I substituted ginger (a close relative of galangal) and lime zest. I also made a salmon salad based around Thai flavors, which included mint leaves, cilantro, mache, and fried rice noodles, with a sweet chili vinaigrette. The salad was also a success, but I want to tweak it, and experiment with the composition a little more before I post it, so expect that soon.



Tom Yum Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts light chicken or vegetable broth (preferably homemade)
  
• 2 lemongrass stalks
• Seeds of 1 cardamom pod
  
• 2" galangal (or ginger) root, peeled and sliced (to the width of a coin)
• 3 medium sized shallots
• 3 medium sized tomatoes, sliced into small wedges (about 8 per fruit)
• 1/4 lb button mushrooms, quartered
• 1/4 box of thin rice noodles (about 2 cups cooked)
• 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (more if you like it spicy, less if not)
• 1 lime
• 2-3 chicken breasts, sliced thin against the grain
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Cilantro
• Thai Basil (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the broth over medium high heat. While broth is heating, mince the shallots and one of the lemongrass stalks. Slice the other stalk into 1" sections and add to the broth, along with the ginger/galangal.

2. In a mortar and pestle combine cardamom, shallots, zest of 1/2 lime, and 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro stalks, and smash into a paste, making sure that the cardamom is crushed and the lemongrass is soft. Add to the soup, and cook at low boil for 5 minutes.

3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the curry paste, making sure paste is mixed in (for the spicyphobics, add paste slowly, to taste). Start cooking the rice noodles according to the directions on the box. When the noodles are done, set aside.

4. While the soup is simmering, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Lightly salt the chicken and add it to the oiled pan. On top of the chicken add a mixture of 2 tsp fish sauce, 2 tsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp of curry paste. Mix the ingredients in with the chicken, and saute until just cooked, but still very tender (they will continue to cook when added to the broth). Remove the chicken from the heat, add 1-2 tsp of lime juice (1/4 of a lime) and set aside.

5. Add 2 tsp of soy sauce, 2 tsp of fish sauce and the chopped mushrooms to the cauldron, and allow to cook for 5 minutes, then remove the soup from the burner.

6. Now its time to assemble the soup. Add the chicken, rice noodles, and juice from half of a lime. Portion the soup into deep bowls, adding a few slices of tomato, a generous pinch of cilantro, and basil if you like it. Garnish with a lime slice and serve immediately.