Thailand is known for its tropical beaches and islands in the Southern part of Thailand and the scrumptious and delicious Thai dishes that you can eat by the street or in a restaurant. Their delectable dishes have even left a big mark on the taste buds that we sometimes crave for these dishes in the comforts of our home.
When it comes to Thai food, we know the popular dishes such as Pad Thai, Papaya Salad, Tom Yum, and Mango Sticky Rice. Thai food has so much variety that having this post alone would not be enough.
Let us take this time to focus on three well-known Thai dishes that you either have tasted or are planning to eat and use this opportunity to learn more about them. We have these wonderful soups; Tom Yum, Tom Kha, and Tom Som, and let us tackle what is in them.
Tom refers to the boiling process, while yam refers to a Thai spicy and sour salad. Indeed, tom yum is characterised by its distinct hot and sour flavours, with fragrant spices and herbs generously used in the broth.
Tom kha Now that we’ve established that “tom” means “boiling a broth”, knowing that “kha” means galangal will quickly help us understand that this soup’s main ingredient is the galangal (don’t confuse it with “king” or ginger now!). And because coconut milk is also used to make this dish, it’s easily distinguishable from tom yum dishes by its murky white soup. Taste-wise, a tom kha is also slightly creamier than tom yum.
İstanbul’s centuries-old, rich, multicultural cuisine displays diverse traditions in various locations today. Some restaurants reunite people with the palace cuisine, some reinterpret familiar flavors with a chef’s touch; some try to serve the dishes everyone likes in a usual way, and some recreate familiar dishes from scratch. Frankly, there is room for everyone in this great metropolis.
Istanbul is proud of its culinary traditions. The diversity of Turkish tradition, from meze to mantı or smoked yoghurt, is held in high regard. But this metropolis has so much more to offer. Our inspectors guide you through the various international cuisines that make Istanbul a global city – also in culinary terms.
Tom kloang Typically, any kind of local fish is used in the making of a tom kloang but salted fish (pla kem) is a popular choice. Predictably then, the prominent flavour of this soup is saltiness with a hint of sourness from tamarind paste and young tamarind leaves. Onion and scallions are also thrown in to liven up the dish. “The word ‘kloang’ in tom kloang may have originated from the word ‘ploang’ which is an ancient soup comprising ingredients similar to a kloang, especially tamarind paste,” says Chef Bo Songvisava of Bo.lan (One Michelin Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2019). “Traditionally, the sweetness from a tom kloang came from grilling Thai shallots wrapped in banana leaves over a fire to bring out its fragrance before it’s mixed into the pot. This is what renders the broth its overall subtle sweet flavours,” says Chumpol Jangprai. “These days, people just use palm sugar.”
The Thai word for “boil” or tom (pronounced “dtome”) features prominently on Thai menus and tom yum goong is probably one of the most famous Thai dishes in the world. But what exactly does it mean and how many kinds of tom dishes are there in Thai cuisine? We happily break it down for you. Tom yum So we’ve worked out what “tom” means. Now let’s escalate to another level and bring “yum” into the equation. This word literally means mixing things together to achieve the mélange of sweet, sour and spicy notes that typify a yum. The marriage of the words “tom yum”, therefore, results in a yum broth brought to a boil. Now depending on what dishes you’re aiming for, the key ingredients to make tom yum usually include lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime for fragrance, chilli for spiciness, lemon juice or tamarind paste for sour flavours, palm sugar for sweetness and fish sauce for saltiness. Add the word “goong” which means “prawns” to tom yum and you get tom yum goong or sweet, sour and spicy soup with prawns. Et voilà! You’ve just mastered your first three Thai words! “The traditional tom yum broth was a clear soup or nam sai which becomes slightly richer in taste and more viscous with the help of fat from prawns’ heads,” says Chef Chumpol Jangprai of R.Haan (One Michelin Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2019). “The thick broth – what we all know today as nam kon – later came into the picture and involves adding chilli paste, evaporated milk or coconut cream.”
Understanding the Different Thai Soups
One of the most popular Thai soup dishes, Tom Yum, is derived from Thai words, “Tom” means boiling, and “Yum” means mixed. This spicy and sour soup is also a staple dish in Thai households and has also become a favourite in homes outside of Thailand due to the simplicity in preparing this dish.
Tom Yum is also believed to have originated from Central Thailand and had its rise and popularity due to the affluent freshwater shrimps in Bangkok and has become a staple in Thai homes.
Shrimp is the choice of meat when making Tom Yum and other variations include thinly sliced chicken or mushroom for the vegetarians. It is an appetizing and aromatic soup that consists of a flavorful stock with ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, mushrooms, shallots, lime juice, Thai chilli peppers, and Kaffir lime leaves. These ingredients are boiled together to release their distinctive flavours and are also usually garnished with coriander leaves on top.
The dish itself is a perfect combination of spicy and sour. It is best eaten with a plate of warm rice and some cold drink to ease the spice. This popular dish has inspired a lot of people to experiment with it by switching or adding new ingredients and is known all around the world.
Tom Kha is another type of Thai soup that is also widely known and can be found in Laotian cuisine. It is said to have originated from Northern Thailand and got some influence from their neighbouring country, Laos. The dish Tom Kha comes from 2 Thai words which mean “boiling galangal” and galangal as the ingredient that gives the distinct flavour of this dish.
The ingredients used in this soup are very similar to that of Tom Yum; however, what makes this dish different is the addition of coconut milk in the soup. The coconut milk is what gives the soup a fuller flavour, creamy taste, and its distinguishable white soup. It is also not as spicy as Tom Yum as the chilis are usually added at the end of cooking to not overwhelm the strong flavours of the other ingredients. However, if you want a spicier soup, you can add the chilis at an earlier step in your cooking but be careful not to let it boil too long.
It has a peppery, sour, and rich flavour with each bite, and it is also known to have good medicinal properties with the herbs and spices used for the broth. This soup is also best paired with a plate of rice to taste the distinct galangal flavours in each bite.
Unlike Tom Yum, thinly sliced chicken is commonly used when making this dish however, there have been variations of using seafood, pork, and vegetarians, they use mushrooms or tofu. This is also a soup dish that is very easy to make and once you have made it and tried it yourself, I am certain that you will be making more of these for yourself or your friends.
Unlike Tom Yum and Tom Kha that have very similar ingredients, Tom Som is a dish that is special on its own. It is not as popular with non-Thais as compared to the other soup due to its distinct and exotic flavour. The “som” in Tom Som means sour so if you want a sour and seafood soup, then this is the best option amongst the three dishes. This dish is also said to have originated from the Northern part of Thailand and is usually listed in traditional Thai menus.
Traditionally, fish is used as the meat of choice in this dish. Fishes that are typically used are mackerel, sea bass, and tilapia which can be sourced easily in Thailand.
The ingredients used for Tom Som are fish, ginger, tamarind juice, coriander roots, shallots, fish sauce, palm sugar, and shrimp paste. These ingredients combined give a sour, salty, and sweet taste to the soup and might be surprising for first-time eaters but will sit well for those with an acquired taste.
Similar to Tom Yum and Tom Kha soups, this is a dish that is easy to make as long as you have all the ingredients with you. This soup dish is also known to have medicinal benefits and is great for relieving cold, constipation, coughing, and flatulence.
Tom Yum Vs Tom Kha – What’s The Difference?
FAQ
What’s the difference between tom yum and Tom Kha soup?
What’s the difference between tom yum and Tom Saap?
What are the two types of Tom Yum soup?
What does tom yum taste like?
Is Tom yum soup the same as Tom Yum?
They have the same soup broth flavor base, but the key difference is that Tom Kha has chili paste and a splash of coconut milk added. In fact, Tom Kha is the creamy version of Tom Yum. Can you eat tom yum soup during pregnancy? Some experts believe that eating tom yum during pregnancy is completely safe, but only in moderation.
What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yam?
Both sweet potatoes and yam are tuber vegetables and are actually very different. They belong to different plant families. Yams are sweeter than sweet potatoes, grow much larger and are also nutritionally inferior. There are two main types of sweet potatoes, both of which are elongated yellow or orange tubers that taper to a point at each end. The sweet potatoes are used in both savory and sweet dishes, most often baked, mashed or fried. When it is pureed it can be used in soups as well as baked foods and desserts. The yam tuber has brown or black scaly skin which resembles the bark of a tree and off-white, purple or red flesh, depending on the variety. Yams are most often boiled, roasted or fried.
What is Tom Yum?
Tom Yum is a well-known hot and sour Thai soup. It is a super healthy and easy-to-cook soup recipe that has all the favorite Thai flavors: spicy, sour, sweet, and salty!
What does Tom Yum taste like?
The flavor of tom yum should be sour upfront from lime juice, then salty from fish sauce, with a mild sweetness from nam prik pao paste. You might not be able to necessarily taste the lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, but these aromatics should hit your nose while you slurp. What’s the Difference Between Tom Yum and Tom Kha?