Thai Tomyam
I promised Ellena that I will try my best to post about Thai cooking, but since I don’t have a cooking blog, I shall post about Thai tomyam here. So, fellow bento-ers, I hope that you won’t mind about me “messing” up my blog. LOL!
First of all, I would like to clarify that, I have never really cooked before I moved to Bangkok a year ago. I was staying with my mother-in-law, who’s a great cook, and I have a maid who did the house chores. Basically, I just had to take care of my kids. 
But since I moved here, I started to learn how to cook and occasionally, I will try to learn Thai cooking from my sister-in-law. She’s Thai, and we are here in the same office. Maybe most of us are bored with “ta pao” food and we are too lazy to think about what to eat for lunch, and thus, she and the office staffs volunteer to cook our lunch. As for me, I just stand there and watch. LOL! Thai cooking is totally different from Chinese cooking, I would say…
So, here are the photos I snapped just now, when they were preparing Thai seafood tomyam nam sai. Nam Sai means it’s clear soup, you will know the difference later…
The ingredients include limes, spring onions, coriander, tomatoes, shallots, fresh lemongrass, galangal, bird eye chilies, kaffir lime leaves, sawtooth coriander (not shown), squids (washed and cut), and prawns (seasoned with fish or soy sauce)
To me, my tomyam must come with kung (prawns)! Prepare some MSG, or you can use chicken stock, salt, sugar and fish sauce too.
Chop the shallots and slice the lemongrass, and galangal into small pieces.
Put them in boiling water.
Let the “soup” cook for a few minutes.
At the same time, pound some bird eye chillies. They are super spicy, but I love it. LOL!
Add the chilies into the soup. Ahh….be generous please, I love spicy tomyam. LOL!
Add in squids and prawns.
Add in coriander leaves, sawtooth coriander, spring unions, kaffir lime leaves, and tomatoes, which are all cut into smaller pieces.
Then it’s time to squeeze in the lime juices (I think it’s about 5 or 6 limes used) and add some fish sauce, salt, sugar, MSG or seasoning. I can’t tell you how much to add…
Get a “tester” instead. LOL! She’s our helper at the office.
If the tomyam is not good enough, tell the chef to add more seasoning or lime juice in. LOL! Say hi to my lovely SIL. She’s a good cook.
When it’s done, scoop up and serve.
There you go, Tomyam Nam Sai. See? The soup is clear huh? But it’s sour and spicy.
Interested to see our complete lunch at office?
Mixed veggie, fried fish, fried eggs, and tomyam on today’s lunch menu. LOL!
Now you know why I don’t have to pack my own lunch? LOL! I have great chefs here.
Bon appetite, everyone.
oh my god., I am hungry!
WOW – even on potluck days we don’t have meals like that. I’m so going shopping when I get off work.
Wow.. I didn’t know that to cook a real thai Tomyam u need so many ingredients.. so scary leh!!!! But despite of all the hard work i bet all these taste great!!!!…..
wow, your lunch makes me mouthwatering.. Miss Thai Tomyam very much now..
OMG, I love tomyam! Thanks for the recipe (and photos)!
OH boy…super yummy!! Me love tom yam soup!!
I love tom yam! Thanks for the tutorial!
wow…just by looking at yr tomyam soup photos kept me salivating man !!! what a great lunch !
wow wow wow!! Tomyam soup!! slurp slurp slurp. Look so yummy!
It’s really unbelievable.. a mum who didn’t cook last time now have fabulous bento blog. I strongly believe all ur “fans” love ur bento (included me
)
Great Job !!
Thanks everyone for your comments.
Vanessa, really la, i didn’t cook last time, not even turn on the rice cooker. LOL! But I did prepare baby food for my kids, and that’s all!!! LOL!
i always love white tom yam to red ones. so nice..