Tom Yam Seafood

Tom Yam is a kinda soup originate from Thailand but here in Malaysia it is one of our favourite dish too. You can find Tom Yam at almost every local restaurant's menu. Normally there are 3 kinds of Tom Yam which are Sea food Tomyam,Chicken Tom Yam and Tom Yam Campur or Mixed Tom yam (seafood, chicken and beef) and my family's favourite is of course Seafood Tom yam. Tom Yam is best served as it is or you can eat it with either steamed white rice or noodles (rice or egg noodles). Tom Yam is supposed to have the balance tastes of sweet, sour, salty and hot. For me Tom Yam is a simple and easy to prepare dish but yet very delicious ! Why dont' you try something different today....something exotic like Thai food!

Seafood Tom Yam (serves 1 to 2 persons)

Ingredients :

4 shallots (chopped)
2 garlics (chopped)
1 onion (cut into wedges)
1 tomato (cut into wedges)
1 inch galangal - finely sliced (if it's not available you can substitute with Ginger)
2 stalks of lemon grass (slightly crushed)
3 0r 4 kaffir lime leaves
2 or 3 bird pepper
juice from 1 lime
1 tbspTom Yam Chilli paste
1 tbsp of Fish sauce (or you can just use salt, a pinch)
1 tsp sugar
3 cups of chicken stock/water
2 tbsp cooking oil
5 medium size prawns ,shells off,cleaned and cut into butterfly
5 medium size , slice into an inch thick.

Method :

- heat the oil in a pot and saute the chopped shallots and garlic until transparent.
- add in the chicken stock/water into the pot, put the lid on and let it boil.
- when the stock is boiling put in all the aromatic ingredients - the galangal/ginger, slighty crushed lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves (just tear it into pieces). You can instantly smell the exotic aroma....

- then put in the Tom Yam Chilli paste, fish sauce , lime juice, sugar, the bird chilli pepper (slightly crushed), wedges of onions and tomatos. I have to warn you that the bird pepper is really hot so if you're not a "hot" person you may ommit it as the Tom Yam Chilli Paste may be hot enough for you...but it is tom yam...Tom Yam is supposed to be hot.... :)

- finally put the prawns and the squid into the boiling soup, cook for 3 to 4 minutes and then it's ready to be served. But why do we put the seafoods to the last minute? Well, seafood like prawns and squid are easy to cook...and if it's overcooked , the flesh will harden .

Enjoy the Tom Yam while it's still hot with either steamed rice or noodles. An excellent meal for lunch or dinner.












bird chilli pepper

kaffir lime leaves

lemon grass