Hot & sour fish soup (Dtom yum pla)

120

SERVES 1 / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES / COOKING 20 MINUTES

about 1¼ cups (300ml) light chicken stock pinch of salt

5 (about 45g) Thai shallots, peeled

6 bird’s-eye chillies

10 mouse shit chillies (small, hot, red chillies from Thailand)

2 stalks lemongrass

5 lime leaves, torn and crumpled

100g market-fresh fish, ideally white-fleshed and not too oily

2-3 tablespoons good-quality fish sauce pinch of unpolished sugar

½ cup picked holy basil fresh lime juice to taste (roughly 2 limes, depending on the variety and season)

1 small dried bird’s-eye chilli

Bring the stock to the boil and add the pinch of salt.

Using a stone mortar and pestle, bruise the shallots, chillies and lemongrass separately. Add the bruised vegetables and lime leaves to the stock and simmer until fragrant, about 10 minutes.

Add the sliced fish and leave to poach gently, seasoning with some fish sauce and the smallest pinch of sugar. When the fish is almost cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes, add the holy basil and remove from the heat. Ladle into a bowl and season with lime juice and dried bird’s-eye chilli.

Taste before serving and adjust the seasoning accordingly. It should be hot, sour, and salty.

JOSH’S NOTES

KEY ELEMENT: Adjust the seasoning to achieve the right ratio of sweet, sour, and salty.

TIP: The recipe calls for sliced fish, but I have served it whole here. Strain the soup if you prefer a clean broth.

COMPLEMENTS: Great with deep-fried chilli as a garnish.