Photograph of the finished Tom yum pla

Thailand · Canh chua cay cá Tom yum pla

Tom yum pla

35 min Hands-on time
EasyDifficulty
6 stepsSteps
Serves 4 Amounts follow along 4

What to get ready

  • Photograph of Sea bass Sea bass 3.4 lb
  • Photograph of Lemongrass Lemongrass 5.6 oz
  • Photograph of Galangal Galangal 4.2 oz
  • Photograph of Thai lime leaves Thai lime leaves 32 leaves
  • Photograph of Straw mushrooms Straw mushrooms 1.1 lb
  • Photograph of Fish sauce Fish sauce ½ cup
  • Photograph of Lime Lime 8
  • Photograph of Green bird's eye chillies Green bird's eye chillies 20
  • Photograph of Tomato Tomato 4
  • Photograph of Sawtooth coriander Sawtooth coriander 2.8 oz

Method

  1. 1 Simmer fish bones and heads in water for 15 minutes, then strain to obtain a clear broth.
  2. 2 The version of the fish dish uses fish bone broth and does not include coconut milk, unlike the version that does.
  3. 3 Add crushed lemongrass, sliced galangal, and Thai lime leaves to the broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. 4 Cut the fish fillets into thick pieces and drop them into simmering water without stirring.
  5. 5 Cook for 4 minutes, then add straw mushrooms and tomato wedges, and season with fish sauce.
  6. 6 Turn off the heat, squeeze in some lemon juice and crush some Thai chili peppers, then sprinkle with shredded sawtooth coriander.

With an appliance

  • Oven 35 min

    Replace steps 4–5: place the fish, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a covered pot and cook on the middle rack of the oven at 180 degrees for 5 minutes; this is the same cooking time as on a stovetop, but the even heat distribution around the pot prevents the fish from falling apart, eliminating the need to stir or adjust the heat. In step 6, still squeeze lemon juice over the fish after removing it to prevent the sauce from becoming bitter.

Start cooking