Fall is here! If you are wondering what fall soup you should try to make this year, this blog is for you. Let us introduce a series of non-curry Thai spicy soups, perfect for the fall season. These Thai soups are as famous as other Thai curry dishes, but let me assure you they are as delicious as those famous Thai curries.
The non-curry soup that is equally well-known is probably spicy Tom Yum soup. In this blog, we will introduce different types of lesser-known Thai soup:
- Tom Kha
- Tom Klong, and
- Tom Saab
There are two types of Thai spicy soups: Tom and Gaeng. Tom typically refers to clear soup without curry paste. Instead, Tom uses specific sets of Thai herbs infused in the broth. Gaeng, on the other hand, usually uses paste and coconut milk as the base, except Gaeng Pa that has no coconut milk.
Tom Kha
Tom Kha’s herb set is very similar to Tom Yum, which includes: Thai galangal (Kha), lemongrass (Ta Krai), Kiffer lime leaves (Bai Ma Grood), and, of course, chili. The citric taste of the soup come from lime juice that is added at the end. What’s special about Tom Kha is its light creamy taste from coconut milk. The soup base is typically chicken broth.
Tom Klong
courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/danburgmurmur/24557130940/in/photostream/
Tom Klong is a clear, spicy soup typically served in Thai restaurants in Thailand, although we do not see this as often outside of Thailand. What sets Tom Klong apart from other soup is its dried fish broth base with boiled shallot. The main herb used for Tom Klong are tamarind leaves and tamarind paste (the same ones used in Pad Thai sauce). The sour taste comes from this tamarind paste, instead of lime juice, like in Tom Kha or Tom Yum.
Tom Saab
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Last but not least is Tom Saab. Saab is Lao and Thailand’s Northeastern dialect word for “delicious.” It also has a subtle reference to spiciness. In other words, Saab typically refers to delicious dishes that are also spicy. Tom Saab originates from the northeastern part of Thailand (Isaan). Its soup base is typically pork or beef. The popular choice among Thai restaurants is Tom Saab with small pork ribs. Its herb set is very similar to that of Tom Kha. However, it also adds grounded roasted rice and fresh culantro in the soup.
Each of these soups has distinct taste and all are equally enjoyed by Thais both at home and in restaurants when they eat out. TAAN THAI offers Tom Kha Mix that you can make your own Tom Kha in 10 minutes. Check our product out here. If you would like to try Tom Klong or Tom Saab, let us know directly, and we will try to make it happen with our R&D team.
We will also drop Tom Kha Pumpkins recipe for you soon! Stay subscribed to be the first to know. In the meantime, take a look at our fried mushroom Tom Kha Soup here!