Thai Tom Yum Noodle Soup (guay tiew tom yum)

Method12 steps · about 3 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the bones in cold water (3 l) and place in a large stockpot. Cover with about 3 L cold water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook 45–60 minutes without boiling. Skim off the collected scum.

   Initial bone broth simmer · 60 minUses 2 lb pork bones (or substitute chicken bones) · 3 l water

2. 2

   Step 2: Add the crushed stock garlic (5 cloves), smashed cilantro roots (5) or stems, cracked white pepper and smashed lemongrass (2 stalk) tops to the skimmed broth. Simmer for 1 more hour, then keep the broth hot.

   Simmer stock with aromatics · 60 minUses 5 cloves garlic, crushed · 5 cilantro roots · ½ tsp white peppercorns, cracked or ground · 2 stalk lemongrass · pork or chicken bones simmered forty-five to sixty minutes in three litres water and skimmed

3. 3

   Step 3: Keep the aromatic broth hot while preparing the ground pork, fried garlic and noodle bowls.

   Uses bone broth simmered another hour with crushed garlic, cilantro roots, pepper and lemongrass

4. 4

   Step 4: Add water (2 Tbsp) to a small pot, then bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add ground pork (200 g) and fish sauce (1 tsp) and cook, stirring constantly to break up big chunks, until the pork is fully cooked.

   Uses 2 Tbsp water · 200 g ground pork (or substitute ground chicken) · 1 tsp fish sauce

5. 5

   Step 5: Chop the separate 5 garlic cloves reserved for fried garlic.

   Uses 5 cloves garlic, chopped

6. 6

   Step 6: Add garlic to a small pot and add just enough vegetable oil (3–4 tbsp) to barely cover. Fry over medium low heat until the garlic is golden brown. Remove from heat and immediately transfer into a bowl to stop it from cooking further. (Note: For soups, you can keep the garlic in the oil, but if you want to keep the garlic crispy for sprinkling on other dishes, drain the garlic from the oil).

   Uses 3–4 tbsp vegetable oil · separate five garlic cloves chopped for frying

7. 7

   Step 7: Bring a separate pot of water to a boil for blanching. If making optional chilli vinegar, cover chopped Thai chillies with white vinegar and let infuse for 15 minutes while you prepare the bowls.

   Infuse optional chilli vinegar · 15 minUses water for blanching fish cakes, sprouts and noodles · chopped Thai chillies for optional chilli vinegar · enough white vinegar to cover optional chopped chillies

8. 8

   Step 8: Blanch bean sprouts (1.5 cup) and fish cakes in boiling water for about 7-10 seconds just to heat them up, then remove from the water (keeping the water) and divide into serving bowls.

   Uses 100 g Asian-style cooked fish cakes · 1.5 cup bean sprouts · separate pot of water boiled for fishcakes, sprouts and noodles

9. 9

   Step 9: Cook the noodles in the boiling water according to their package directions, tasting until they are just tender and cooked through. Cooking time varies with noodle type. Drain and divide between the serving bowls.

   Uses 160 g fresh egg noodles (thin) or another noodle of your choice (see note 2) · same blanching water kept for egg noodles

10. 10

    Step 10: To each bowl, add 2 heaping tablespoons of the cooked ground pork.

    Uses fully cooked ground pork with two tablespoons water and one teaspoon fish sauce; about two heaping tablespoons per bowl · four bowls with heated cooked fishcakes and sprouts · egg noodles cooked just tender, drained and divided among four bowls

11. 11

    Step 11: Measure 3 cups of liquid stock from the homemade broth, leaving the bones behind. Heat gently without reducing it, then turn off the heat. Stir in the assembly 8 tsp sugar, 8 tsp fish sauce, 4 tbsp lime juice, ½ cup ground roasted peanuts and chilli flakes to taste. Divide among the four noodle bowls, about ¾ cup per bowl.

    Uses 8 tsp sugar · 8 tsp fish sauce · 4 Tbsp lime juice (1 Tbsp per bowl) · 1/2 cup ground roasted peanuts (2 Tbsp per bowl) · Roasted chili flakes or regular chili flakes, to taste (see note 1) · three cups liquid stock measured from homemade aromatic broth, without bones · four bowls of noodles, fishcakes, sprouts and cooked pork

12. 12

    Step 12: Top each bowl with cilantro (1/2 cup) and fried garlic & garlic oil; serve immediately. After tasting, feel free to adjust the flavour with chili vinegar, more fish sauce, lime juice, sugar or chili flakes!

    Uses 1/2 cup chopped cilantro · extra fish sauce for final adjustment · extra lime juice for final adjustment · extra sugar for final adjustment · extra roasted chilli flakes for final adjustment · four bowls filled with stock seasoned with sugar, fish sauce, lime, peanuts and chilli flakes · separate chopped garlic fried golden in vegetable oil · chopped Thai chilli covered in white vinegar and infused fifteen minutes