Tom yum

Tom yum or tom yam (Lao: ຕົ້ມຍຳ [tôm ɲam]; Thai: ต้มยำ, [tôm jam]) is the name for a spicy clear soup typical in Laos and Thailand. Tom yum is widely served in neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, and has been popularized around the world. It is listed at number 8 on World's 50 Most Delicious Foods complied by CNN Go in 2011.^[1]

Literally, the words "tom yum" are derived from two Lao-Thai words: "tom" and "yum". "Tom" refers to boiling process (soup, in this case). "Yum" refers to a kind of Lao-Thai spicy and sour salad. Thus, "tom-yum" is a Lao-Thai hot and sour soup. Indeed, tom yum is characterized by its distinct hot and sour flavors, with fragrant herbs generously used in the broth. The basic broth is made of stock and fresh ingredients such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, fish sauce and crushed chili peppers.

In neighbouring countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, the name tom yum is used widely for various spicy soups which can differ greatly from true Lao-Thai tom yum soup. As a result, people are often confused by the disparities.

Commercial tom yum paste is made by crushing all the herb ingredients and stir frying in oil. Seasoning and other preservative ingredients are then added. The paste is bottled or packaged, and sold around the world. Tom yum flavored with the paste may have different characteristics from that made with fresh herb ingredients.

The 1997 Financial Crisis in Asia, which started in Thailand, is sometimes referred to as the "Tom Yam Kung Crisis".^[2]

Contents 1 Selected types 2 Tom khlong 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

Selected types

• Tom yum goong or tom yam kung, the version of the dish most popular among tourists is made with prawns as main ingredient.^[3]
• Tom yum goong maphrao on nam khon, a version of prawn tom yum with the meat of a young coconut and a dash of coconut milk.
• Tom yum paa (Lao) or Tom yum pla (Thai) is a clear fish soup that was traditionally eaten with rice. It used to be the most widespread form of tom yam before mass-tourism came to Thailand, for fresh fish is readily available almost everywhere in the region's rivers, canals and lakes as well as in the sea. Usually fish with firm flesh that doesn't crumble after boiling is preferred for this type of soup.^[4]
• Tom yum gai or tom yam kai is the chicken version of the soup.^[5]
• Tom yum po taek (Lao) or Tom yum thale (Thai) is a variant of the soup with mixed seafood, like prawns, squid, clams and pieces of fish. ^[6]
• Tom yum nam khon (Thai: ต้มยำน้ำข้น) is a more recent variation. Almost always made with prawns as a main ingredient, a little coconut milk is added to the broth as a finishing touch, and then balanced with some toasted dried chillies. This adaptation is not to be confused with tom kha gai ("chicken galanga soup"), where galanga is the dominant flavour of the coconut milk-based soup.
• Tom yam kha mu (Thai: ต้มยำขาหมู), made with pork knuckles. These require a long cooking time under low fire.^[7]

In the modern popularized versions the soup contains also mushrooms - usually straw mushrooms or oyster mushrooms. The soup is often topped with generous sprinkling of fresh chopped cilantro (coriander leaves). Sometimes Thai chili jam (nam phrik phao, Thai: น้ำพริกเผา) is added: this gives the soup a bright orange color and makes the chili flavor more pronounced. The Royal Lao version of tom yam includes a pinch of rice in the soup.

Tom khlong

Less well-known outside Thailand is tom khlong (ต้มโคล้ง), a similar spicy sour soup where the sourness, however, does not derive from lime juice but through the use of tamarind.^[8]

See also

• Lao cuisine
• Thai cuisine
• List of Thai ingredients

References

1. ^ CNN Go World's 50 most delicious foods 21 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-11
2. ^ From Tom-yam-kung To Hamburger Crisis
3. ^ Thaiways - Tom yam kung
4. ^ Clear Fish Soup, a Thai food recipe from Thailand
5. ^ Sour and Spicy Chicken Soup (Tom Yam Kai)
6. ^ Tom yam talay - Clear and spicy seafood soup
7. ^ ต้มยำขาหมู
8. ^ Tom klong pla krob (ต้มโคล้งปลากรอบ)

External links

• Cuisine of Thailand at the Open Directory Project
• Tom Yam Fish Eggs ( Tom Yam Kai Pla ) - Appon's Thai Food Recipes

Lao cuisine Staples / Entrees Larb Sticky rice Ping gai Mok Lao sausage Som moo Goi Pon pa Som phak Lao beef jerky Lard na Pad khing Pad sen lon Pad see ew Pad kee mao Pad Lao Soups / Stews Khao poon Khao soi Khao piak (sen) Gaeng nor mai Sousi pa Tom kha Tom sua Tom yum Tom kheung nai Gaeng jeud Feu Or lam Orm Salads / Wraps Nam khao Tam mak hoong Nam tok Soop nor mai Yum sen lon Pun Luang prabang salad Snacks / Desserts Nam waan Khao tom Kaipen Khanom mor gaeng Khanom sun Sticky rice with mango Vun Beverages Beerlao Lao coffee Lao tea Lao hai Lao-Lao Condiments Jaew bong Jaew mak len Jaew het Jaew mak gork Padaek Nam pa Kapi Utensils Khok Saak Huad Mor nung Mor kharng Mor gaeng

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