A Reved-Up TomYum,Where "It Rains Fishes AND Veggies"!
Description
Tom Yum seafood soup with attributes that I could not find in any of the myriad recipes I read. I wanted a meal- in-a-bowl, thick with fresh vegetables and seafood, and a complex broth with many layers of flavor. Not a soup as Appetizer, but soup as a filling and refreshing Entree.
Ingredients
- shrimp shells from 1 lb. shrimp 26/30 count
- 3 +qt water
- 2 cups frozen chopped lemongrass (or 10 stalks, frozen or fresh, sliced 1/4 " on the diagonal and smashed with heavy iron pot or mallet, just before adding)
- 20 thin coins galangal,fresh or frozen, skin -on, smashed and added like above
- 12 lime leaves, torn at ribs to release flavor, just before adding
- 4 large peeled garlic cloves
- 1 medium large onion,thinly sliced and cut in 1-2" pieces
- 1 lb.white mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup+ red boat fish sauce*
- 2 tablespoons indian tamarind paste (like liquid tar)finger-smooshed in bowl with some hot water- add half and then add a little at a time if you need more
- 4 canned pastene plum tomatoes(or fresh in summer), roughly chopped
- ~4 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4" coins
- ~20 ounces snow peas cut on diagonal into 1/3 " slices
- 1 cup scallions, sliced thinly across
- 1-2 lb. brown rice pad thai noodles, soaked in very hot water ~ 3 minutes til not fully soft (they continue to soften in liquid); drained
- 1 lb shrimp 26/30 count, peel-on, peeled ,cleaned and brined in salt solution: mix 4 cups cold water with 2 1/2 tablespoon sea salt. swish around shrimp in this; soak 10 minutes, rinse a few times to remove salt. quarter shrimp.
- 1 lb cleaned squid bodies, sliced crosswise into thin 1/4" rings
- 4 ounces sea scallops(not bay), quartered
- fresh lime juice (1-2 tablespoons per person)
- huy fong rooster sriracha (1/2- ? tablespoons per person; depends on your guests; dragon mouths may want the whole bottle for themselves!!)
- 1 bunch chopped cilantro, soaked to remove dirt, lifted with sieve scooper and dumped into soup
- 1 lb bean sprouts (the big generic ones)
- *individual tastebuds may request fish sauce, lime juice, and/or sriracha at table.
Directions
- To water in 8 qt. pot add SOUP BASE PRIMARY ingredients. Bring to boil and then simmer 30 minutes. Remove shrimp shells and other solids to second pot for secondary stock**(optional) or trash them. If you can, pick out and return lime leaves, garlic and galangal to stockpot .
- Add SOUP BASE SOLIDS to stock, beginning with onion while you measure the other things.Simmer 20 minutes. Remove jalapeno pieces.
- Blanch carrots 1-2 minutes in 6 cups boiling water til almost tender. Remove and set aside. Blanch snow peas 2 seconds , remove and set aside.Ditto 2 seconds for the bean sprouts.
- Add NOODLES, BLANCHED CARROTS and SNOW PEAS, and SCALLIONS and bring to boil.
- Add SEAFOOD to stock, turn down to simmer and stir just a few minutes til seafood is opaque. Add FINISHING TOUCHES, top with BEAN SPROUTS, and serve!
- * I read a web report of a person who taste- tested 35 different fish sauces! and Red Boat was their #1. It is miles above any of the others I've tried. ** simmer shrimp shells through garlic another 1/2 hour to make a weaker secondary stock to supplement first stock, if needed later. If you have more lemongrass, use some additional for this secondary stock.
- Notes: --In Thailand there is a non-coconut milk version, like this one, and a coconut milk version. For the latter, add coconut milk to taste after the soup is assembled. (Make sure to shake well and taste your coconut milk before using; I have had many experiences of rancid coconut milk, which tastes sour and 'off'.)
