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Tom klong (smoky sour dried-fish soup)
Tom klong (ต้มโคล้ง): smoky tamarind soup with dried fish, grilled shallots and chilli
Tom klong is the older, rustic cousin of tom yum, cooked in central Thai homes along the rivers of Suphan Buri and Ang Thong, where fish was dried and smoked to keep through the rains. Shallots, garlic and dried chillies are charred first, then simmered with tamarind, lemongrass and galangal, and smoked dried fish turns the clear broth deep and savoury. It is sour, smoky and hot, eaten with rice and a plain omelette. Look for dried smoked fish (pla krob or pla salid) in Asian grocers, or use smoked mackerel. Chef's tip: grill the aromatics until blackened in patches; pale, raw shallots give a thin soup without the smoke that defines it.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 shallotsunpeeled
- 4 cloves garlicunpeeled
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 2 lemongrassstalks, bruised and cut into lengths
- ⅔ oz galangalsliced
- 5 kaffir lime leavestorn
- 3 ½ oz dried smoked fishpla krob or pla salid, or 150 g smoked mackerel, skin and bones removed, broken into chunks
- 5 ½ oz straw mushrooms (optional)halved, or button mushrooms
- 3 tbsp tamarind pulp
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp palm sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 handful coriander leaves
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Char 4 shallots and 4 cloves garlic in a dry pan or over a flame, turning, until blackened in patches and soft, 8–10 minutes. Toast 4 dried red chillies for the last minute until they darken. Peel the shallots and garlic and bruise them lightly.
10 minStep 2: Bring 4 ¼ cups water to the boil in a pot with 2 lemongrass, ⅔ oz galangal, 5 kaffir lime leaves and the charred shallots, garlic and chillies. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 3: Add 3 ½ oz dried smoked fish and 5 ½ oz straw mushrooms if using and simmer for 5 minutes, until the fish softens and the broth turns smoky.
5 minStep 4: Stir in 3 tbsp tamarind pulp, 2 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp palm sugar. Taste: it should be sour first, then salty and smoky.
Step 5: Off the heat add 1 tbsp lime juice and 1 handful coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tom klong (smoky sour dried-fish soup) take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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