Thai Cuisine Recipe

Kapi (shrimp paste) 1 TSP.
Coriander roots 1 TSP.
Shallots, peeled 3 heads
Garlic 4-5 cloves
Black pepper corns 10 each
Fresh ginger, peeled, sliced, and julienne ¼ cup
Green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths ¼ cup
Water 2-3 cups
Fish Sauce 2 TBSP.
Palm or coconut sugar 1-2 TSP.
Tamarind pulp paste 1-2 TBSP

1. Cut fish into sliced and wash thoroughly, reserve for later use.

2. In a pestle and mortar, pound together shrimp paste, shallots, garlic, coriander roots and peppercorns into a coarse paste.

3. Put a pot on the stove add water and mix in the paste and bring the soup base to boil. Once boiling, add the fish pieces, cook until just done.

4. Season the soup with fish sauce, sugar and tamarind pulp juice. It should taste sweet and sour and slightly salty. It will also be very fragrant with the smell of shallots and peppercorns.

5. To finish this soup, add the julienne ginger and the green onion pieces. Serve piping hot as a soup course or eaten with rice with other dishes.

a. Coriander roots are sometimes difficult to find abroad in regular super markets. You should be able to find it at Chinese grocery stores but if you can’t find it you can omit it from the recipe and add more shallots.

b. There are many recipes for the paste to make this soup, some only has shrimp paste, shallots and peppercorns. These three basic ingredients are sufficient to make the base of the soup.

c. Fresh ginger is very important in this soup you will need to use all of it if not lore because it is the scent of the ginger the specific characteristic of the Tom Som.