Tom Yum Gai Soup

The Thai trilogy of flavours- spicy (chili), salty (fish sauce) and sour (lime juice).

This recipe is from Mickey's cooking class at the Apple Guesthouse near the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, Thailand 2007. Mickey, who taught me and my fellow students, two smiley Roman architects on their honeymoon, about the vital trilogy of flavours in this soup: SPICY (chilli) + SALTY (fish sauce) + SOUR (fresh lime juice). Equals balances of each but to personal taste, Mickey was reluctant to give exact measurements.

Can be made with any meat, chicken/beef/pork/fish and with any vegetables, mushrooms/red pepper/French beans/broccoli.

For 2 servings.

Limes, Galangal, Shallots and Lemon Grass from Tawana Oriental Supermarket, Westbourne Grove

Ingredients for the soup stock
3 cups of cold water
2 knubs of Galangal (similar in look to Ginger but unfortunately cannot be used as a substitute, cut into 1 cm chunks)
2 sticks of Lemon Grass (cut lengthways and on the diagonal)
1 Kaffir Lime Leaf (whole)
6 Shallots (peeled and left whole)

Ingredients for the body of the soup
1/2 teaspoon of chopped medium Red Chilli
1 tablespoon of Tom Yum paste (check the ingredients list - should contain shallots, dried chilli and tamarind paste)
200 grams of Chicken thigh or breast (cut into 1 cm pieces)
5 Mushrooms, quartered. Or 2/3 of cup of any other vegetables; red pepper, beans, broccoli.
2 generous handfuls of freshly chopped Coriander
1 swirl of Fish Sauce per serving or to taste
1 Lime (half a Lime per serving)

Method
First make the soup stock, by placing the cold water in a saucepan on a medium to high heat and adding all of the stock ingredients. Bring to the boil so that the water reduces by 1 cup.

Reducing the soup stock

Next add the chili and the Tom Yum paste to the broth. And lastly on a high heat add the chicken and vegetables and cook for 2- 3 minutes or until cooked. Remove from the heat. Ladle into small bowls (straining out Galanga, Lemon Grass and Kaffir Lime leaf) and add the chopped coriander and finally season with the fish sauce and fresh lime juice in equal balance. Taste and add greater quantities of either if you prefer a more salty or sour soup.