INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Description There is a show on Thai TV every week called "Yam Yai" in which
a distinguished food writer, who also edits the Shell Guide to Thailand (an
excellent source but unfortunately only available in Thai), visits a
different restaurant each week. The show specialises in the small
restaurant/food shop style of business that abounds in Thailand, in which
the owner is the chef, and the family help out. The show generally features
a demonstration of the preparation of one or two of the business' signature
dishes, though as no detailed recipe is provided it is often difficult to
reproduce the dishes shown. This week the main dish prepared was tom yam
pla (fish soup), and I watched as the chef, preparing a soup for one diner,
placed two handfuls of chilli on the board, and chopped them, then after
cooking the soup added a handful of dried chillies as garnish. I was still
gasping as the presenter added some nam pla prik (chillies in fish sauce)
to make the dish still hotter! The preparation also differed from the norm
of today in that it didn't include any nam prik pao (the roasted chillies
in bean oil that is often called tom yam sauce). This in fact is the
traditional preparation of this soup, and it is quick and easy to do. It
can be made (as on the TV show) with fish, or as here with pork, or indeed
with most meats, poultry, or vegetables. Note that I do sincerely advice
caution about the amount of chilli in this recipe. It is phet makh mah
("very hot") as the Thais say, though this preparation (as an accompaniment
for a dinner for 4 people) is not quite as hot as that on the TV. The main
reason we made it with 'forest pig' was that a friend donated one to us
recently that had been predating his sugar cane plantation... Method Trim
the fat from the pork, and slice it into eighth inch thick slices
diagonally to the grain of the meat, then cut the slices into bite sized
pieces. Crush the garlic with the side of a cleaver, discard loose pieces
of skin, and then chop coarsely. Crush the fresh chillies with the side of
a cleaver, and coarsely chop. Slice the mushrooms, and then bruise the
lemongrass with the cleaver and slice it (either into 1" pieces if you
intend to discard it, or very thin slices if you intend to eat it). Place
the meat in a saucepan or wok, over medium heat, and briefly stir fry, then
add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the chopped chillies and garlic,
and simmer, covered until the meat is tender. Add the mushrooms and heat
through for about 1 minute. Serving & Storage Transfer to a serving bowl,
and add the dried chillies. Garnish if desired with basil,
coriander/cilantro and mint leaves. Serves 2 as a soup course or 4 as an
accompaniment to a meal.
Colonel Ian F Khuntilanont-Philpott
Posted to EAT-L Digest 26 Feb 97 by Walt Gray <waltgray@MNSINC.COM> on Feb
27, 1997.

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