The delicious Tomyam Seafood originated from Thailand and is a soup dish usually made with prawns. The dish is infused with a lot of aromatics such as galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and bird’s eye chillies. The abundance of spices is the reason why the dish is loaded with many flavours- spicy, sour and savoury.
The term ‘Tom Yam’ refers to the boiling process (Tom) to make the dish and Thai spicy and sour salad (Yam). Tom Yam Seafood is easy to make, and it does not require much experience to make the delectable dish. The dish is best served hot and fresh, paired with white rice.
In Thailand, the dish can be found everywhere in restaurants and street stall vendors. The dish is an essential part of Thai cuisine. There are many variations to Tomyam Seafood available due to the popularity of the dish.
What is Tomyam Seafood?
Tomyam seafood is a spicy and sour Thai soup containing seafood and plenty of aromatics to enhance the flavours. Some of the essential herbs in this dish include galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, lime juice and red chilli peppers. Tom yam can be easily made in your own home as many pre-made tom yam pastes are sold in supermarkets.
Tomyam seafood is made by first crushing the galangal and lemongrass in a pestle and mortar. Proceed to add the crushed ingredients into a pot with parsley roots, bird’s eye chillies and chicken stock. Let the ingredients cook over boiling heat and then add some shrimp stock and kaffir lime leaves and leave it to simmer for a bit.
Add all of the seafood ingredients and mushrooms into the pot and then boil again. Add some seasonings to the mixture. Once it has been cooked, serve the dish hot and pair with white rice.
Variations of Tomyam Seafood
Different kinds of Tomyam are available for your consumption. The Tom Yam nam sai is a kind of clear broth tom yam, which is perfect for those that are not into spicy food. The Tom Yam kathi is a coconut milk-based tom yam. Evaporated milk can also be used to create the Tom yam nam khon for a creamy delight!
Various kinds of Tom yam incorporates different types of meats. Tom Yam kai uses chicken as the primary source of protein. Tom Yam kha mu includes pork into the dish, and Tom yam po taek uses a wide variety of seafood to make it. Tom yam kung maphrao on nam khon use parts of young coconut and a bit of coconut milk to create the dish.
Tips and Tricks on Making the Best Tomyam Seafood
- Enhance the flavours of the dish by using nam prik pao (Thai roasted chilli paste) when cooking the meal. If the ingredient is unavailable, you can use chicken stock instead.
- To impress your friends and family with your cooking skills, try making the Tom Yam with some shrimp stock. Shrimp stock can be made by adding shrimp heads into boiling water and leaving it to simmer for a bit.
- Adding a few tablespoons of evaporated milk will make the dish more creamy.
Where to find Tomyam Seafood in Malaysia
Want a taste of the flavourful Tomyam Seafood? Head on out to Restoran Busra Tomyam Seafood (Kuala Lumpur), Yusuf Tom Yam (Kuala Lumpur) or Dekti Tomyam Seafood (Kuala Lumpur) for some delicious Tomyam Seafood!
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