Tom Yum Pla (Thai Hot and Sour Soup with Fish)
Did you know that serving a whole fish is a symbol of abundance in Thai and Chinese New Year celebrations? This Tom Yum Pla (Thai hot and sour soup with fish) recipe brings tradition to life with a crispy fried fish and a perfectly balanced, aromatic broth.
What is Tom Yum Made of?
The fundamental of the Thai hot and sour soup are citrusy aromatic broth from the following ingredients.
- Galangal : please do not substitute with ginger, as they have distinct tastes and aromas. You can find this herb from vegetable section in Asian grocery stores. Simply wash and slice them up. You normally need a few slices at a time. Store unused galangal in a ziplock bag and freeze for 4–5 months to prevent freezer burn. For longer storage, vacuum-sealing can keep it fresh for a year or more.
- Makrut Lime Leaves (Kaffir Lime Leaves): The leaves are tough and not meant to be eaten but are used for their fragrance and as garnish. They freeze well for future use. So devein the leaves and tear them into small pieces to release their aroma before putting in the soup.
- Lemongrass: Use fresh or frozen kind. If using fresh lemongrass, bruise or slice into small pieces to release the aromas.
- Onion or shallots: These add a subtle sweetness to the broth.
- Cilantro : Use as a garnish and for added aroma.
- Culantro (optional) : Also known as sawtooth coriander, this herb provides an extra umami flavor that enhances the dish.It can be hard to find, even at Asian grocery stores, so it is optional.
- Thai chilies: Add spiciness to balance the soup’s flavors.
- Thai Chili paste “Nam Prik Pao” or Chili jam: Adds sweetness and a beautiful color to the soup.
- Mushrooms : Preferable oyster, straw, or any Asian mushrooms. They add more fiber and natural umami to the soup.
How to Fry Whole Fish for Tom Yum Pla?
I bought a scaled and gutted red snapper from Costco, which makes preparing this dish quick and convenient. Start by patting the fish dry and lightly seasoning it with salt. Next, fry the whole fish, flipping it only once. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when the edges turn golden brown and crispy. Gently nudge the fish with a spatula—if it lifts easily without sticking, it’s time to flip. For a 1-pound fish, it typically takes about 7–9 minutes per side. Use two spatulas for better support when flipping to avoid breaking the fish.
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Making Thai Hot and Sour Soup Broth
After discarding the frying oil and setting the fried fish aside, add water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Add lemongrass, galangal, shallots, sea salt, and Thai chilies to the boiling water. Season the broth with Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao), fish sauce, and tamarind concentrate or juice. Add the mushrooms and cook them through, then stir in the coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, and optionally, tomatoes. Bring the broth to a final boil, then turn off the heat before adding chopped cilantro, culantro (if available), chopped green onions, and lime juice. It’s important to add the lime juice after turning off the heat to prevent the soup from becoming slightly bitter. Adjust the flavors to your liking by adding fried dried chilies or more fresh chilies if desired. Pour the soup into a large bowl or platter, place the whole fried fish in the center, and serve!
Related Recipes
- Tom Yum Goong : Thai hot and sour soup with shrimp
- Tom Kha Gai : Thai coconut chicken soup
- Tom Yum Soup Noodle : This one does not require the Tom Yum trios (galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves)
- Tom Yum Spaghetti : Perfect summer twist for Tom Yum flavor
- Tom Yum Gai : More hearty and easier Tom Yum to make.
Tom Yum Pla (Thai Hot and Sour Soup with Fish)
Equipment
- 1 wok or skilet or pot
Ingredients
- 1 red snapper (Or Tilapia or any fresh water fish. Scaled and gutted)
- 1½ tsp sea salt (1/2 tsp to season the fish and 1 tsp for the soup)
- oil (As needed for frying. Try to have 1 inch deep from the bottom of your frying vessel.)
- 2 cups water
- 3-4 slices galangal
- 2-3 shallots (or half yellow onion)
- 2 tbsp lemongrass (2 bruised lemongrass and sliced biased or 2 tablespoons finely chopped frozen lemongrass)
- 3 Thai chili peppers (pounded or chopped or sliced)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp tamarind juice (or concentrate)
- 2 tbsp Thai chili paste (AKA Nam Prik Pao) (Chili jam)
- 1 lb mushrooms (preferably oyster, King oyster, straw, or any Asian mushrooms.)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 4-5 Makrut lime leaves (Kaffir lime leaves)
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes (optional)
- 2 green onion (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
- 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
- 2-3 dried chilies (fried or toasted and optional)
- 2 tbsp culantro (saw tooth corianter) (chopped and optional)
- 1½ – 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Pat the fish dry, lightly season with salt, and fry on medium heat for 7–9 minutes on each side. Flip the fish only once, waiting until a nice crust forms on the bottom and the fish turns golden brown.
- Place the fried fish on a paper towel to drain excess oil and set aside.
- Optionally, fry dried chilies for 30 seconds (until smokey), then set them aside.
- Discard the frying oil, fill the pan with water, and bring it to a boil.
- Add galangal, lemongrass, Thai chilies, fish sauce, tamarind juice, and Thai chili paste to the water, then bring the broth to a boil.
- Add mushrooms to the broth and let them cook.
- Devein the kaffir lime leaves, add them to the broth, and bring the soup to a final boil.
- Optionally, halve cherry tomatoes and add them to the soup.
- Turn off the heat and stir in chopped cilantro, culantro, green onions, fried chilies, and fresh lime juice. Adjust the taste to your preference.
- Pour the Tom Yum broth into a serving dish, place the fried fish in the center, and serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!
Video
@stickyricethaikitchen Tom Yum Pla Ingredients 1 red snapper (Or Tilapia or any fresh water fish. Scaled and gutted) 1½ tsp sea salt (1/2 tsp to season the fish and 1 tsp for the soup) oil (As needed for frying. Try to have 1 inch deep from the bottom of your frying vessel.) 2 cups water 3-4 slices galangal 2-3 shallots (or half yellow onion) 2 tbsp lemongrass (2 bruised lemongrass and sliced biased or 2 tablespoons finely chopped frozen lemongrass) 3 Thai chili peppers (pounded or chopped or sliced) 3 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp tamarind juice (or concentrate) 2 tbsp Thai chili paste (AKA Nam Prik Pao) (Chili jam) 1 lb mushrooms (preferably oyster, King oyster, straw, or any Asian mushrooms.) 1 cup coconut milk 4-5 Makrut lime leaves (Kaffir lime leaves) ¼ cup cherry tomatoes (optional) 2 green onion (chopped into 1 inch pieces) 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped) 2-3 dried chilies (fried or toasted and optional) 2 tbsp culantro (saw tooth corianter) (chopped and optional) 1½ – 2 tbsp fresh lime juice #tomyum#thaifood#fishrecipe#wholefish#thaicooking#highprotein#eastrecipes#soupseason#hotandsoursoup#tomyumsoup#lunarnewyear#lunarnewyear2025#chinesenewyear#asiannewyear
♬ オリジナル楽曲 – shoko5133 – shoko5133
