From n_cramer@SPAMpacbell.net Tue Jan 11 16:11:49 2005 Date: 10 Jan 2005 22:07:28 GMT From: n_cramer@SPAMpacbell.net Newsgroups: alt.food.asian Subject: Re: Sad mistake! "mroo philpott-smythe" wrote: > I made a "Thai-style" shrimp soup yesterday. I should have realized it > was watered down for western tastes when I read that ubiquitous > hyphenated "style" on the recipe. > sq, please excuse me for laughing at your very apt description. Now I will roll up my sleeves and present for your delectation: Hot & Spicy Thai Shrimp Soup (Tom Yum Goong) from "Thai Home Cooking from Kamolmal's Kitchen" [p. 118], my bible when Jun's not home (Serves 6 to 8): Ingredients: 1-1/2 lbs raw shrimp 1 lb fresh or canned straw or button mushrooms 6 stalks lemon grass (bottom 6" only) 2 qts water 10 Serrano or Thai chiles (to taste) 3/4 cup fish sauce 1/4 cup Roasted Red Curry (see below) 1/2 cup lime juice 1 cup cilantro (coriander sprigs) Procedure: 1. Shell and devein the shrimp, leaving tails intact. Wash mushrooms, slice in half lengthwise, add to shrimp and set aside. 2. Slice the lemon grass in half lengthwise. Crush with the side of a cleaver or wide-blade knife and place in a saucepan with the 2 qts of water. 3. Remove the stems, but not the seeds, from the chiles. Crush the chiles with the side of a cleaver or wide-blace knife until they split into several pieces, and set aside. 4. Boil the water and lemon grass, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, mushrooms, fish sauce and Roasted Red Curry. Cover the pot, bring back to a boil rapidly and cook only 'til the shrimp turn pink. 5. Remove the soup from the heat and add the lime juice and chiles. Stir to mix thoroughly, put in a serving vessel and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with rice for each diner to add as desired. Variation 1: Omit the Roasted Red Curry Sauce. Variation 2:Use chicken or shrimp stock instead of water. ************************** Roasted Red Curry (Nam Prik Pao)[p. 76] Makes 3 cups. NOTE: This is mild by Thai standards. You can kick it up a notch by using more potent dried chiles, but remember that whatever you use it in may contain additional chiles, in which case the heat would be additive. A VERY STRONG odor will develop when you're frying the dried shrimp and shrimp paste, so you may want to do it well before any guests are expected or do it outdoors. Ingredients: 3 oz. wet tamarind or 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs tamarind concentrate 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup warm water 1/4 lb. (about 12) dried New Mexico or California chiles 1 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) finely chopped garlic 1 cup (1/4 lb.) finely chopped yellow onion 1-1/4 cups (3 oz.) dried shrimp 1/4 cup shrimp paste Procedure: 1. (Omit if you're using tamarind concentrate) Soak the wet tamarind in the warm water for 15 minutes or until soft. Press it through a sieve, making sure to press through all the pulp you can. Scrape the outside of the sieve to capture that pulp, too. Discard the residue. 2. Place the tamarind solution and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. (If you've used tamarind concentrate, add 3/4 cup warm water) Remove from heat immediately, stir to dissolve sugar and set aside to cool to room temperature. 3. Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and tear them into pieces about 1" square or smaller. Heat a wok, add 1/2 cup of the oil and swirl over surface. Stir-fry the chiles over moderate heat until they're deep red and slightly fragrant, but don't let them burn. Remove the chiles, but not the oil, from the wok and set them aside in a bowl. 4. Add 2 Tbs oil to the wok and stir-fry the garlic 'til it's lightly golden. Remove the garlic, but not the oil, from the wok and add it to the chiles. 5. Add 2 Tbs oil to the wok and stir-fry the onion 'til it's lightly golden. Remove the onion, but not the oil, from the wok and add it to the chiles and garlic. 6. Add 1/4 cup more oil to the wok, add the dried shrimp and cook for about 1 minute. Add the shrimp paste and stir-fry 'til the color becomes uniform and the strong odor has subsided, about 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add all, including the oil, to the bowl of chiles, garlic and onion. Allow to come to room temperature. 7. Once cooled, place all the fried ingredients and oil in a food processor or blender and grind to a smooth paste. If it's too dry or crumbly, add enough oil to bring it to a smooth, thick paste. 8. Add the cooked tamarind mixture from Step 2 and stir to combine well. Store in a closed jar in the 'fridge for up to 6 months. After it stands for a few days, the oil will rise to the surface, in which case, stir before using. You can also use it as a spread on toast, cocktail snack, side dish, or just as a snack or dip. *************************** Let me know how this compares with your earlier version and don't forget to post a series of pics on alt.binaries.food °~) Gin kao! -- Nick. 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