Thai Hot and Sour Soup (Tom Yum Gai)
Terry Willard, ClH, PhD
6 cups (1.5 L) chicken broth (use vegetable broth if vegetarian)
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 to 8 cm stalk lemon grass, chopped
1 thumb-sized piece galangal or ginger, grated
2 Tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce or tamari
1 Tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce)
1 tsp (5 mL) chilli sauce
1 Tbsp (15 mL) rice vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar
2 kaffir lime leaves
4 oz (120 g) chicken breast (or tofu if vegetarian), cubed
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
Handful of shiitake mushrooms
1 cup (250 mL) Chinese cabbage such as bok choy, roughly chopped Bamboo shoot strips
Heat broth in large soup pot; add garlic, lemon grass, galangal or ginger, soy sauce or tamari, fish sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and lime leaves. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium heat and allow to simmer while adding chicken (or tofu) and vegetables.
Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are lightly cooked (but still crisp). Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro or basil. Serves 4 to 6.
Source: "Lemon Grass", alive #310, August 2008
