Tom Saep (ต้มแซ่บ (tom saep))
Overview
Tom saep is a hot and sour soup from Isan, north-eastern Thailand. Its name means delicious boiled soup. Pork ribs, beef or offal are simmered until tender in a clear broth with bruised lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and shallots. The soup is then seasoned boldly with fish sauce, plenty of lime juice and toasted dried chilli flakes, and finished with fresh sawtooth coriander, coriander leaves and sometimes a pinch of toasted ground rice. Unlike tom yum it uses no chilli paste or milk, so the broth stays clear, sharp and very spicy. It is eaten with sticky rice.
History
Isan cooking, shared with neighbouring Laos, is known for strong sour, salty and spicy flavours and the use of toasted chilli and ground rice. Tom saep was once a local village dish but spread across Thailand with workers from the north-east who moved to Bangkok. Today it is a staple of Isan restaurants and street stalls, often ordered alongside som tam and grilled chicken.
Main ingredients
Pork ribs, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, toasted chilli flakes, lime juice. The soup is built on pork broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Pork soups · Lemongrass soups · More soups from Thailand
Recipe
Method
- 140 min
Simmer the ribs in the water for 40 minutes, skimming.
- 210 min
Add the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and shallots and cook for 10 minutes.
- 3
Season with fish sauce and take off the heat.
- 4
Stir in the lime juice and chilli flakes, add the herbs and serve with sticky rice.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 15m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
